Expert says 99% of DNA found on handle of knife that killed Bob Lee belongs to Nima Momeni

Thursday’s proceedings in the Bob Lee murder trial focused on the knife used to kill the Cash App founder and what the DNA evidence revealed.

Most of the day’s testimony consisted of questioning from forensic DNA expert Alain Oyafuso about DNA found on the blade and handle of the Joseph Joseph brand knife.

Defendant Nima Momeni is accused of Lee was fatally stabbed in April last year in San Francisco’s Rincon Hill/East Cut neighborhood. The trial resumed on Wednesday the presentation of video evidence to the jury, including grainy footage that allegedly showed the moment Momeni seriously injured Lee.

The defense has maintained that their client acted in self-defense when they say Lee attacked Momeni in a “drug-fueled rage” after a multi-day bender. But Oyafuso’s testimony Thursday could cast doubt on their theory.

Oyafuso explained that 98% of the DNA on the blade of the murder weapon belonged to Lee, while 99% of the DNA on the handle of the weapon belonged to Momeni. However, Momeni’s lawyer Saam Zangeneh said the testimony does not change their argument that Momeni acted in self-defense.

“I don’t think this affects it, guys,” he told CBS News Bay Area. “The video shows that Nima was the last to hold the knife. We do not dispute that.”

The prosecutor hopes the data will speak for itself. Oyafuso explained that all parts of the murder weapon were tested for the DNA of both men. They found “limited support” for Momeni’s DNA on the blade or for Lee’s DNA on the handle.

The expert said the chances of Lee’s DNA being on the knife are 1,660,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 or 1.66 septillion times greater than that of a random, unrelated person. They also said that the chances of Momeni’s DNA being on the knife handle are 2,980,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 or 2.98 octillion times greater than that of a random, unrelated person.

Defense attorney Shannan Dugan, who attended Thursday’s proceedings, said that may not be enough to convince the jury that only Momeni wielded the knife.

“If you had handled that knife before in an explicable manner, the defense could argue that that is why his DNA was on the knife. This witness stated on the witness stand that he could not determine the time of the transfer, the motive and whether that was the case.” a direct or indirect transfer,” Dugan said.

The trial will resume Monday with questioning of witnesses called by prosecutors.