Nima Momeni, attorney for accused killer of Cash App founder Bob Lee, FIRES after clashing over defense strategy and replaces her with ‘all-Persian’ lawyer from Miami
- Nima Momeni fired Paula Canny and replaced her with Saam Zangeneh
- Canny yelled “You’re gonna miss me!” as his former client was led out of court today
Nima Momeni, the man accused of killing Cash App founder Bob Lee, today drastically ditched his attorney and instead hired an ‘all-Persian’ alternative from Miami.
Momeni was represented by Paula Canny. He is accused of stabbing Lee to death in the early hours of April 4 in San Francisco.
Prosecutors said the couple had an argument earlier in the evening over Lee’s relationship with Momeni’s married sister and feared the couple were doing drugs together.
Paula Canny, speaking outside the courtroom today. She was fired by Momeni after arguing over whether or not to fast-track the case. ‘It happens,’ she said after a brief audition
Nima Momeni, shown in a previous court appearance, had wanted to speed up the case
Today, after submitting a request to be removed from the case, Canny was officially relieved by the judge.
Cash App founder Bob Lee was murdered on April 4
She screamed “You’ll miss me!” while Momeni was led out of court in handcuffs.
Although it’s unclear exactly why she was replaced (she declined to tell reporters afterward), Momeni hired Saam Zangeneh, a Miami-based attorney with offices in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
He describes himself as “100% Persian” on social media. Momeni and her sister left Iran for the United States when they were children.
Momeni previously asked to expedite the case, which Canny opposed because she felt it would give prosecutors the upper hand by cutting her prep time.
Speaking after the brief hearing, Canny told reporters she was stepping down with “great disappointment – and relief”.
Canny was replaced by Saam Zangeneh, a Miami-based attorney with offices in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He describes himself as “100% Persian” on social media
Prosecutors say Momeni was angry with Lee because he had a relationship with his married Khazar sister
Momeni and her sister moved to the United States from Iran as children
Momeni and his lawyer had been close before their clash over strategy. They are presented on April 25
‘S**t gets to represent people. I can’t divulge the nature of the conflict…it’s super interesting, but I’ll never tell you,’ she said, citing solicitor-client privilege.
Zangeneh was not present at today’s hearing. He’s still in Florida.
It is still unclear if he will agree to expedite the matter, as Momeni had asked Canny, or if he too will want more time.
Lee, a single father who had recently moved from California to Miami when he was killed, was back in San Francisco for a conference when he was killed.
He had spent time during the day with Momeni’s sister, Khazar, whom he called Tina, and drank with Momeni in the evenings in the hours before his death.
Text messages show Khazar thanking Lee for being a “gentleman” when his brother was “tough” on him.
Nima was living in a loft that was also his job from home when he was killed.
Khazar Momeni, who is married to a prominent Bay Area plastic surgeon, has yet to comment on the charges against her brother.
