One of the gunmen convicted in the 2021 Truck Park Bar mass shooting in St. Paul filed for an appeal, claiming he acted in self-defense.

Last year, Devondre Phillips was sentenced to nearly 29 years in prison for his role in the Oct. 10, 2021, shooting that killed 27-year-old Marquisha Wiley and injured 14 others.

On Tuesday, judges heard his lawyer’s appeal to rethink the nearly three-decade sentence.

A Hennepin County public defender argued Phillips acted in self-defense because he was in imminent danger.

It’s similar to the argument made during Phillips’ trial in February 2023.

His attorney detailed prior altercations he had that summer with one of the other gunmen. He explained Phillips had no other choice but to fire shots.

The Ramsey County prosecutor pushed back in the appeal hearing, saying Phillips was not acting honestly and in good faith.

She noted Phillips went out of his way to purchase a gun because he knew he would be in a fight. The prosecution said avoiding the conflict was a choice he could have made.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS asked family members on both sides if they wanted to talk about the appeal, but they declined an interview.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals did not say when it would come back with a decision.