Convicted Murderer Files Lawsuit Against Photographer Who Took ‘Smiling’ Jail Cell Portrait
A convicted high-profile murderer has filed a $17 million lawsuit against an acclaimed photographer who shot images of him “smiling” in his jail cell before his trial, as well as other media outlets.
Nima Momeni — who was convicted in December 2024 of the second-degree murder of San Francisco tech executive Bob Lee — has named photographer Paul Kuroda and several media organizations, including the New York Post and the Los Angeles Times, in the lawsuit.
In the days leading up to Momeni’s trial, Kuroda, a former two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, photographed Momeni smiling in his jail cell. Some of the images were published by the New York Post with a headline describing them as “bone-chilling” as well as by other news outlets. Momeni’s legal team previously argued that these photographs could have justified moving the trial out of San Francisco, though a judge disagreed. Kuroda also captured early courtroom images of former tech consultant Momeni during the trial.
In court documents filed on December 1, Momeni claims that the photographer and other media outlets engaged in defamation that led to his conviction, professional negligence, civil rights violations, invasion of privacy, fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The complaint seeks $17 million in compensatory damages and alleges losses including wages, property use, general damage, and diminished earning capacity.
Kuroda, who has worked extensively for top California publications and won the NPPA/University of Missouri National Photographer of the Year award in 1990, expressed surprise when reached for comment by The San Francisco Standard.
“Nothing like this has ever happened to me before,” Kuroda tells the news outlet.
According to a report by SFGate, San Francisco criminal defense attorney Shannan Dugan believes Momeni will face difficulties proving Kuroda’s photographs caused harm to Momeni’s reputation.
“He was convicted of second-degree murder by a jury who heard all the evidence. The jury did not base that on some pictures within a jail cell,” Dugan says. “Those pictures may not have been helpful, but the jury heard six weeks of testimony from so many witnesses.”
The lawsuit names The San Francisco Standard, Los Angeles Times Communications LLC, NYP Holdings Inc. (publisher of the New York Post), and Kuroda as defendants, along with up to 100 unnamed individuals.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
