Sure, as long as it's even remotely true. When evidence says otherwise, straight to jail.

Maybe I'm naive, but I really believe that had he said "I told them 'I feel my life is in danger' because I was afraid he would shoot me," he'd have a stronger case. Ohio specifically requires "reasonable belief," not simply pronouncing the words, and by acknowledging that he made the claim because "that's what they say" rather than as a report of actual fact, I believe it will be harder for his defense attorney to rebut the prosecution's inevitable assertion he did not act in self-defense. While knowing cops can help you avoid getting into the system following a crime, saying in an NYT article you think you should have the same protections as law enforcement because you play in their poker game is not a popular claim to make, even amongst the most dogmatic MAGAts, and I don't think this is going to go as well for Mr. Matthews as he expects.