Case closed.(Exercising The Right)

The Shelby Food Mart is located in Louisville, Kentucky. Shortly after store employee Firas Al Kurdi began his shift on October 12, 2002, a man brandishing a knife entered the store and demanded money. The thug, later identified as James Abdul-Shajee, grabbed Al Kurdi and held the knife to his throat. After inflicting a few cuts, Abdul-Shajee made numerous swipes at Al Kurdi's face, nearly severing the beleaguered employee's nose.

Meanwhile, another employee retrieved a handgun kept under the cashier's counter for self-defense, but put it down when Abdul-Shajee, who was still menacing Al Kurdi, ordered him to do so. A struggle then ensued between Al Kurdi and his knife-wielding assailant, during which Al Kurdi managed to grab the gun and shoot his attacker three times. When police arrived minutes later, they found Abdul-Shajee lying in front of the store. He was pronounced dead later that day at a local hospital. Al Kurdi survived, but required extensive plastic surgery for his wounds.

Abdul-Shajee was charged posthumously with first-degree robbery. His extensive criminal record, dating back to 1988, included six convictions for armed robbery, two for wanton endangerment, and one for kidnapping. He had been granted parole in the fall of 2001.

Incredibly, despite persuasive evidence that the store employee had shot Abdul-Shajee in self-defense, in March 2003 a Jefferson County grand jury indicted Al Kurdi on one count of murder. ...