A Memphis mother is facing murder charges after shooting and killing a man she found in her 13‑year‑old daughter’s bedroom.
Police say Kendra Scott discovered a 20‑year‑old man inside her daughter’s room late at night. For many parents, finding a stranger in their child’s bedroom is the ultimate nightmare.
According to investigators, the man fled the home when Scott confronted him. She pursued him outside and eventually caught up to him, where she allegedly shot him once in the back of the head. Officers found him dead at the scene.
Scott’s daughter told police she had invited the man over, though it remains unclear how or where she met him.
Tennessee, like many red states, has strong self‑defense protections. But those laws generally do not shield someone who shoots a fleeing individual outside the home, especially when the shot is to the back of the head. That detail may significantly weaken Scott’s chances at trial.
Had the shooting occurred inside the home, Scott’s legal position likely would have been stronger. A jury might still sympathize with a mother reacting emotionally to a strange adult man being alone with her underage daughter. Prosecutors will argue that once the man was running away, the threat had ended.
The case has sparked intense debate online. Some argue the man “got what he deserved” for being in a home with a 13‑year‑old girl. Others say they understand the mother’s anger but believe she crossed a legal line by shooting him after he fled.
What do you think? Should the mother be convicted of murder?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Note: Thumbnail courtesy of the Memphis Police Department Facebook Page.
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