Nima Momeni, accused in the fatal stabbing of tech executive and Cash App founder Bob Lee, testified in her defense for the first time at her murder trial Wednesday morning.

Momeni was arrested a few days later Lee was fatally stabbed in April 2023. in the Rincon Hill/East Cut neighborhood of San Francisco. Prosecutors allege Momeni stabbed Lee with a kitchen knife he took from his sister Khazar Momeni’s apartment. He pleaded not guilty to the murder, and defense lawyers claimed Momeni was protecting him from drug addict Lee.

Under questioning by defense lawyer Saam Zangeneh on Wednesday, Nima Momeni described her upbringing in Tehran, Iran. The 40-year-old man tearfully recounted how he, his sister and his mother left Iran when he was 15 to escape his father’s abuse. Momeni also explained that he learned martial arts after moving to the Bay Area and dropped out of college to work various jobs.

The defense lawyer then directed his testimony to describe his relationship with his sister Hazar, who he said had a one-year age difference between them. Momeni stated that Hazar’s drug use worsened over the years and affected his relationships.

“The situation has gotten worse since COVID,” Momeni said. “The amount and intensity of the binges and emotions and reactions…all of these things have become much more intense…going on for days.”

Initial testimony at the hearing focused on Khazar Momeni’s relationship with Lee and alleged drug use. Prosecutors also alleged Lee texted with his brother in the hours following his murder, describing him as “psychotic” and “crazy.”

In her statement on Wednesday, Nima Momeni described the events that led to Lee’s murder; these included a phone call from an emotional Hazar Momeni, asking to be picked up after “having a bad trip”.

Momeni also described her interactions with Lee the night before the stabbing, describing Lee as “talkative” and saying there was no conflict between them. Momeni also said she was sorry. Allegation of sexual assault on Lee’s sister by one of his acquaintancesbut he didn’t feel sorry for Lee.

Defense attorneys called a medical expert to the witness stand Tuesday Stating that it is possible that self-defense theories may be true.

Florida-based physician and pathologist Dr. John Marraccini told jurors that based on Lee’s wound pattern, the wounds may have been self-inflicted because Momeni was defending herself against an attack. Marraccini stated that at least one wound may have been caused when Lee pulled a knife from his pocket and was quickly stopped by Momeni, who stabbed Lee in the skin while doing so.

But when Marraccini admitted that he split his time as a family physician and private consultant, where he testified “99%” for the defense and “1%” for prosecutors, the doctor’s credibility came into question.

During cross-examination on Wednesday, Marraccini admitted it was possible the prosecution’s theory that Lee’s fatal wounds were caused by a direct attack by Momeni.