MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A Memphis woman has been charged with first-degree murder after authorities say she fatally shot a 20-year-old man she discovered hiding beneath her teenage daughter’s bed, a case that has sparked widespread debate over parental protection, self-defense and the limits of the law.
Police responded to a home in the Walker Homes neighborhood around 1:45 a.m. Thursday after reports of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found 20-year-old Rodderius Morton lying in the front yard with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to an arrest affidavit, 36-year-old Kendra Scott admitted to shooting Morton after discovering him hiding under her daughter’s bed inside the home. Investigators say Scott told officers, “I did what I had to do.”
The investigation revealed that Scott’s 13-year-old daughter had allegedly invited Morton into the residence through a back door while her mother was away. Court documents state the girl told investigators her mother had previously warned that if she ever caught a boy inside the house, she would “put a hole” in him.
Authorities allege Morton attempted to leave the residence before he was shot. Police say the fatal shooting occurred near the home’s front porch, where Morton collapsed in the yard. Investigators have not indicated that Morton was armed.
Following the investigation, Scott was charged with first-degree murder and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. Authorities say the evidence gathered at the scene did not support a claim of lawful self-defense under Tennessee law, leading prosecutors to pursue criminal charges.
The case has generated intense discussion online, with many expressing sympathy for a mother who believed she was protecting her child, while others argue that deadly force is not legally justified once an immediate threat has ended. Legal experts note that Tennessee’s self-defense and castle doctrine laws generally require a reasonable belief of imminent danger before the use of deadly force can be considered lawful.
Scott appeared in court Friday for her arraignment. The case remains under investigation, and prosecutors have not announced whether additional charges or evidence will be presented as the criminal proceedings continue. Morton is presumed to have been unarmed unless evidence presented later in court indicates otherwise. Scott is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
