Attorney challenges 1st-degree murder case against Tenn. mother accused of fatally shooting man under daughter’s bed

The defense says prosecutors lack evidence the shooting was planned and will examine whether self-defense or a lesser charge is appropriate.

The attorney representing a Tennessee mother accused of fatally shooting a man found under her 13-year-old daughter’s bed says prosecutors cannot prove she planned the killing. The defense argues the case was driven by emotion and should not be treated as first-degree murder.

Kendra Scott, 36, is charged with first-degree murder and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony in the death of 20-year-old Rodderius Morton. A judge set her bond at $100,000 during a court appearance Monday. Speaking to NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas, defense attorney Blake Ballin said the key issue is whether prosecutors can prove the Tennessee mom planned the shooting before it happened. “The real question is, is this first-degree premeditated murder? I think the answer is obviously not,” Ballin said.

He said the defense will examine whether Scott acted in self-defense or whether the facts could support a lesser charge, such as voluntary manslaughter. According to Memphis police, the Tennessee mom returned home around 1:40 a.m. on July 16 and found Morton hiding under her 13-year-old daughter’s bed. Officers later found Morton dead in the front yard from a gunshot wound to the back of his head.

Investigators said a juvenile witness told police Morton had been invited into the home through the back door around 1 a.m. Authorities are still determining what happened after Scott confronted him. Police said Scott later told officers, “I saw a dude under my kid’s bed and I did what I had to do.” The case has also drawn attention after one of Morton’s former special education teachers said he had learning disabilities.

Ballin also dismissed reports that the Tennessee mom had previously warned she would shoot any boy found inside her home. He said those remarks reflected a parent’s protective instincts and should not be viewed as evidence of premeditation. Scott is expected back in court next month as the investigation continues.