A former special needs teacher has claimed that Rodderius Morton, the 20-year-old man fatally shot by a Memphis mother after she discovered him hiding under her 13-year-old daughter's bed, was mentally disabled. The teacher, Robin Perkins, stated that Morton likely did not understand the wrongfulness of his actions and that his cognitive abilities did not align with those of a typical 20-year-old.
Kendra Scott, 36, faces first-degree murder charges for the shooting, which occurred outside her Memphis home on Thursday. According to an arrest affidavit, Scott told officers she returned home around 1:30 a.m. and found Morton under her children's bed, stating, "And I did what I had to do."
Scott's defense attorney, Blake Ballin, described the incident as "the worst nightmare of any parent of a 13-year-old girl" and suggested that the case would hinge on whether any person could act rationally in such a circumstance.
Perkins, who identified herself as Morton's former middle school special needs teacher, described him as "soft-spoken and respectful" and called his death "unbelievable." While not elaborating on the specifics of Morton's disabilities, Perkins suggested he may have believed the girl was older or failed to comprehend the law. "I do not condone his actions and going and mingling with a 13-year-old," Perkins stated. "However, when you're cognitively not 20, what do you expect?"
According to the arrest affidavit, Scott's teenage daughter invited Morton to the home around 1 a.m. Scott arrived approximately 30 minutes later, banging on the front door and demanding to know who was there. Her daughter reportedly became fearful when she saw her mother holding a gun, recalling that Scott had previously said, "if I see a boy in my house I will put a hole in his ass."
The affidavit states that the daughter let her mother inside, where Scott allegedly found Morton under the bed. Scott then reportedly shouted at Morton to leave her house and followed him outside, at which point a neighbor and the daughter heard a gunshot. The neighbor told police he saw Scott, still holding a handgun, standing over Morton's body and admitting, "I shot him, I shot him."
Officers recovered a spent shell casing and a Smith & Wesson handgun from the scene. Scott was charged with first-degree murder and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. She was released on $100,000 bail and is due back in court on August 3.
The case has generated divided opinions online and among neighbors. Some residents expressed sympathy for Scott, while others suggested she should have contacted the police instead of resorting to deadly force. Morton's sister reportedly told Perkins that the family was unaware he had left their home when the incident occurred.