A Memphis woman faces first-degree murder charges after authorities say she fatally shot a man who was discovered inside her daughter’s bedroom.
Kendra Scott, 36, was also charged with employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony following the July 16 shooting.
Memphis police responded to a shooting call in the 3000 block of Travis Road shortly before 2 a.m. and found Rodderius Morton, 20, unresponsive in the front yard with a gunshot wound to the back of his head, according to an arrest affidavit.
Morton was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said Scott was taken into custody after speaking with officers.
According to court documents, Scott told police she returned home and discovered Morton under her 13-year-old daughter’s bed.
Investigators said Scott stated, “I saw a dude under my kid’s bed,” and added, “I did what I had to do.”
A neighbor told police he heard a gunshot and later saw Scott near Morton’s body in the front yard while holding a firearm and saying, “I shot him, I shot him,” according to the affidavit, obtained by People.
Police also interviewed a juvenile who was inside the home at the time of the incident.
The juvenile told investigators that Morton had been invited into the residence around 1 a.m. or shortly afterward.
The child said Scott arrived about 30 minutes later, began knocking loudly on the door, and yelled, “Who’s at my house?” according to investigators.
The juvenile told police she was afraid of Scott because she allegedly had a firearm and had previously said that if she saw a boy inside the home, she would “put a hole” in him, according to the affidavit.
Investigators said the juvenile told them Morton was discovered hiding under the bed and later left the home before a gunshot was heard. Police reported that Morton was not armed.
Court records state Scott has been charged with first-degree murder and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony.
She initially remained in custody without bond before a judge later set her bond at $100,000 during a court appearance. Her next court date is scheduled for Aug. 3, according to WMC.
Scott’s attorney, Blake Ballin, said the case began with what he described as a parent’s worst fear involving a child.
Ballin said one of the central questions will be whether someone could act rationally under the circumstances described in the case. He said the incident involved a 13-year-old girl, according to a statement provided to People.
The case has prompted discussion about Tennessee’s Castle Doctrine, which allows the use of force, including deadly force in certain circumstances, when individuals face threats inside their homes.
Retired law enforcement officer and firearm self-defense trainer Buddy Smith said the allegations in the affidavit would likely be important in determining whether the legal requirements for such protections were met, according to LifeZette.
Smith said the affidavit did not allege that Morton threatened Scott or anyone else at the time of the shooting.
He said issues surrounding whether there was a violent threat or justification for deadly force would likely be considered by the court and potentially a jury.
Neighbors expressed differing reactions following the shooting.
Some said they understood a parent’s concern about someone being inside a child’s room, while others said they would have contacted police instead.
Scott remains charged, and the allegations against her have not been proven in court.
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