Man claims he Killed wife in self defence after domestic abuse

[Tennis]

The defence lawyer for a man who admits he strangled his wife and buried her body in their home says his client acted in self-defence.

Closing arguments are set for today at the second-degree murder trial of Allan Shyback. He is also charged with causing an indignity to the body of Lisa Mitchell, 31, who was last seen alive in Calgary in October 2012.

An undercover "Mr. Big'' sting operation was launched in 2013 and ended with Shyback's confession and arrest in Winnipeg a year later.

During his testimony this week, Shyback told the judge hearing the case alone that he had been the victim of nearly a decade of domestic abuse and that Mitchell had attacked him with a knife the day she died.

"I expect self-defence to be the first defence that will be raised and that can lead to a complete acquittal," Shyback's lawyer, Balfour Der, told court Tuesday.

Mitchell's mummified body was found in a Rubbermaid container that had been entombed in cement in the basement of the house she and Shyback shared.

"There is no defence raised to the indignity charge. I would expect there would be a finding of guilt," said Der.

https://www.castanet.net/news/Canada...n-self-defence

Can you believe this? Basically trying to make a mockery out of the justice system!
Let's hope the judiciary doesn't stand for this.

[Deleted]

Women abuse men all the time, you think domestic violence is only 1 way?

[Underverse]

Well, if he has evidence that the attack occurred, then he should be acquitted on grounds of self defense. If not, then he should be convicted of murder.

[Runenwächter]

I dont know the specifics of canadian law when it cmes to these matters, but as far as my own countries or US law is concerned there should be enough legal precedence to make a solid defense in a case like this.

[Tennis]

Women abuse men all the time, you think domestic violence is only 1 way?

So you think what he did is acceptable? Why didn't he go to a shelter?

[Spectral]

Seems like a legitimate example of self-defense would have ended with him calling the police, not getting caught some time the next year.

[Deleted]

So you think what he did is acceptable? Why didn't he go to a shelter?

How common do you think male domestic violence shelters are?

[Revi]

If true, he really fucked himself over by trying to hide it.

Gonna need some records or witnesses confirming the abuse to even stand a chance before a judge. If it goes to a jury I'm guessing he's screwed.

[Edge-]

Well, if he has evidence that the attack occurred, then he should be acquitted on grounds of self defense. If not, then he should be convicted of murder.

I think you kinda lose the ability to use "self-defense" as a defense if you proceed to hide the body afterwards : P

[Tennis]

How common do you think male domestic violence shelters are?

The suspect alleges that the domestic violence lasted a decade. Why didn't he leave?

[Deleted]

The suspect alleges that the domestic violence lasted a decade. Why didn't he leave?

Ask the same thing to the millions of women in such relationships.

[Runenwächter]

Well, if he has evidence that the attack occurred, then he should be acquitted on grounds of self defense. If not, then he should be convicted of murder.

Wouldnt the state have to proof the statue of murder? Sure, he killed her, that much he confessed to, but for it to be murder some form of intent has to be proven right? In cases were women killed their husbands that had allegedly abused them, experts were consulted on wether the statements were most likely to be true. This seems to be just such a case too.

If you take what was discovered during the sting operation as evidence to trial, that would have to include the evidence that corroborates his side of the story, as so far as there is any.

[Deleted]

How exactly do you strangle someone in self defense?

[Independent voter]

Just another situation where I'd like to be a fly on the wall so I could what really went on. Hard to make a decision with the evidence at hand, not like she can argue her side of things.

[chazus]

There are a few aspects to this, which ought to be considered. While I'm not defending what he did (nor condemning it), if he was abused for years, he probably has some mental issues going on.

If I accidentally killed a friend or loved one, I'd be in such shock that I wouldn't just go call the cops and let them know whats up. The whole uh... burying her thing... Was probably a state of shock/panic/madness.

Not having mentioned it AFTER that (what, a year later?) sort of indicates that he wasn't all stable in the head. Whether this is something that was present or caused by such abuse is difficult to tell. Or he just murdered her and this is the spin. Again, hard to tell. Either way, domestic abuse is a horrible thing... And what he did after was also awful, for whatever reason it was.

[Azmoden]

How common do you think male domestic violence shelters are?

According to this article from 2013, only 1 in Canada: http://news.nationalpost.com/news/ca...parent-suicide

And according to this website, a big fat 0, although not sure where they got their info: http://equalitycanada.com/cause/violenceagainstmen/

[A dot Ham]

So you think what he did is acceptable? Why didn't he go to a shelter?

Would you be asking the same question if the roles were reversed? Probably not.

Modern Feminism at its best folks.

[Runenwächter]

Yeah, basically my thoughts. He buried her and at no point came forward or tried to fix it. On top of that, while it is plausible that he might have strangled her to death in self-defense, in conjunction with the other circumstances, it seems a bit suspect given that strangulation would generally render the person no longer a threat before killing them. Reading some of the other articles, the prosecution apparently thinks he killed her for infidelity, which would fit with the behavior a lot better.

That may or may not be what happend and it may be a contributing factor more than the root cause. Assuming he was acting in self defense initially and still killed her, for whateve reason, he feared then for being jailed for life despite being innocent and hid the body.
"Why would an innocent man run from the law" is so cliche, Im not going there.

But if you demand his scalp the very minute you hear about this without having nearly enough facts to make a verdict, perhaps this man, guilty or not, was right to fear YOU, because you deem him guilty before his case even gets into a courtroom. Your reaction to this case makes him trying to hide what transpired seem much more rational.

[WintersLegion]

Seems like a legitimate example of self-defense would have ended with him calling the police, not getting caught some time the next year.

Yeah that is my problem with this why would he entomb her in cement after killing her if it was self defense when self defense a legitimate defense for killing someone.

[Phookah]

I think you kinda lose the ability to use "self-defense" as a defense if you proceed to hide the body afterwards : P

Pretty much exactly this. Domestic violence is messed up, but when you proceed bury the body somewhere and try to conceal it... Good luck with your defense plea now.