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2 Former Philadelphia Cops Claim Self-Defense In Shooting Death Over Stolen Pizza

By Tony Hanson

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The attorneys for two former Philadelphia police officers charged in the shooting death of a man say their clients are innocent, that the shooting was in self-defense.

The shooting -- stemming from a stolen pizza -- happened in 2008, but the defendants were charged recently, following a grand jury investigation (see related story).

According to investigators, boyfriend-girlfriend officers Chauncey Ellison and Robin Fortune went looking for the teen who robbed their children, and authorities allege that Ellison shot victim Lawrence Allen, who tried to intervene as a peacemaker.

But defense attorney Brian McMonigle says that's not how it happened:

"My client went out there that night to arrest a robbery suspect, he was confronted with an individual who brandished a firearm, and confronted with the possibility he was going to lose his life he pulled out his firearm and defended himself."

But authorities contend that Allen was not armed, and certainly wasn't involved in the earlier robbery of the pizza.

The defendants have waived a preliminary hearing and the case will go straight to trial.

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