A Memphis mother has been charged with first-degree murder after shooting and killing a man she found hiding under her 13-year-old daughter's bed. Kendra Scott, 36, was arrested early Thursday morning after police discovered the 20-year-old man, identified as Rodderius Morton, dead from a gunshot wound to the back of his head outside her home.
According to an arrest affidavit, Scott told officers she returned home and saw Morton under her children's bed, stating, "And I did what I had to do." The incident reportedly began when Scott's daughter invited Morton to the family's home around 1 a.m.
Upon arriving home approximately 30 minutes later, an enraged Scott began pounding on the front door, demanding to know who was there. Her daughter grew fearful when she saw her mother holding a gun. The daughter told police that Scott had previously stated, "if I sees a boy in my house I will put a hole in his ass."
The teen eventually allowed her mother inside, where Scott allegedly found Morton under the bed. She reportedly screamed at him to leave and followed him out the front door. A neighbor and Scott's daughter claim to have heard a gunshot shortly after.
Officers recovered a spent shell casing and a Smith & Wesson handgun on the front porch. A neighbor told police he saw Scott standing by Morton's body, still holding the gun, and admitting, "I shot him, I shot him."
Scott was taken for questioning and subsequently charged with first-degree murder and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. Her attorney, Blake Ballin, described the situation as "the worst nightmare of any parent of a 13-year-old girl" and stated that a key question will be whether anyone could act rationally under such circumstances.
Legal experts noted that Tennessee's Castle Doctrine, which allows for the use of reasonable force, including deadly force, against intruders, might not apply. Retired law enforcement officer Buddy Smith explained that the doctrine typically protects individuals using force when an intruder breaks in to commit a violent felony. However, he added, the affidavit does not allege that Morton threatened Scott or anyone else at that moment, suggesting these facts could be significant in court.
The case has sparked debate online and among neighbors, with some believing Scott's actions were justified and others feeling she went too far. One neighbor expressed sympathy for Scott, citing concerns about a man being in her daughter's room, while another suggested Scott should have called 911 instead.