Justin Mohn reportedly described a struggle between himself and Michael Mohn when the younger man told his father that he was placing him under a “citizen’s arrest.”

According to the AP’s reporting, Justin Mohn stated that his father told him he would kill him before he allowed him to do that, and a struggle ensued. Justin Mohn told the court, “Unfortunately, he resisted. I was hoping to perform a citizen’s arrest on my father for, ultimately, treason.”

Local news outlet WFMZ reported that Justin Mohn stated that he believed killing his father was legal under Pennsylvania law because he was defending himself while his father was resisting arrest.