Armed robber kills store owner in shootout, then claims he was forced to shoot--self-defense

Last January (2015) four armed men entered a gun shop.  They'd cased the place two days earlier and believed the only employee was a woman.  On entering one smashed the woman in the face, breaking her nose and knocking her unconscious.  Another then leaped over the counter and started grabbing handguns on display.

Moments later the owner--husband of the woman the robbers had knocked unconscious--came out of the back room shooting.  He managed to hit two of the perps while exchanging fire with another.  Four of the armed robber's shots hit the owner, and the latter hit the robber.

The owner died, while the robber who shot him was seriously injured.  At that point his wife regained consciousness and emptied her gun into the perp who had just killed her husband.

The entire exchange was captured on the shop's video system.

Now in a stunning move the killer's attorney has claimed he was forced to shoot the store owner in self-defense when the owner started shooting at him.

Now here's how a local television station (KCTV) reported things: 

One of the men accused of murdering a Shawnee gun shop owner said he had no choice but to shoot.

Four young men face murder charges for the deadly robbery attempt at She’s a Pistol. Becky Bieker lost her husband in the violent Jan. 9 shootout with armed gunmen.

Note the syntax:  She "lost" her husband.  Not "her husband was killed by would-be robbers."

Thursday, lawyers for De’Anthony A. Wiley insisted his involvement wasn’t murder, but self-defense.
 
Prosecutors say four men plotted to rob She's a Pistol.  Bieker owned the store with her husband.  He was in back when the robbers came in and made demands.

Bieker was hit and knocked unconscious. Jon got into a shootout with the gunmen.  Prosecutors said Wiley was captured on video as the person who killed Jon.

In July attorneys for Wiley announced he was willing to plead guilty to murder, but prosecutors rejected the deal.  Now, Wiley's defense lawyers filed the bombshell motion calling the killing of Jon Bieker self-defense.

The basis for the claim reads “…Wiley withdrew from any physical confrontation with the Biekers and he specifically communicated his intent to surrender to Jon Bieker. Despite that communication, Mr. Bieker continued to advance and/or fire upon the defendant and the co-defendants. The defendant was shot in the spine and paralyzed, therefore unable to further escape.  As such, the defendant was entitled to use force to protect himself…”

They went on to write, “The degree of force used by [the owners] exceed that which was lawfully necessary to protect property and a place of business in the face of the retreating defendants, all of whom were shot in the back. As the use of force by both Jon and Becky Bieker was unlawful, the defendant was justified in using deadly force in defense of himself and/or another.”

Outrageous, right?  But of course you didn't hear this, or see it on any national "news" broadcast--nor will you.  If you're curious about the reason, click the link at the top.  But you already know why.