Background: News footage of Samantha Marion in court (WMC). Inset: Cell phone video of Ricky Floyd from the night of the alleged shooting (provided by John Keith Perry).
Attorneys for a Tennessee woman said she acted in self-defense when she allegedly shot and killed a beloved local pastor.
On August 26, Samantha Marion, 42, was indicted by a grand jury in connection with the March 12 shooting death of local pastor Ricky Floyd, 58. Originally charged with voluntary manslaughter, her charges were upgraded to second-degree murder, employing a firearm with intent to commit a felony, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. She awaits trial, but a date has not yet been scheduled.
According to a report from local NBC affiliate WMC, Marion’s defense attorney stated that a religious argument between Marion and Floyd outside Momma’s Bar in Memphis escalated. Floyd reportedly left in his vehicle but returned and approached Marion. A cellphone video taken by Marion, shared with WMC by her defense attorney, shows Floyd advancing aggressively toward Marion despite her verbal warnings to stop.
WMC covered a preliminary hearing in June where Patrolman Cordell Boyd, called by the prosecution as the sole witness, testified. Boyd was the first officer at the scene on March 12. He stated that Marion’s self-defense claim was questionable, alleging that she returned to her vehicle to retrieve her gun during the verbal altercation with Floyd.
If that was the case, Boyd said, then Marion could have left the scene instead of opening fire on Floyd.
Prosecutors stated that the arrest affidavit indicates surveillance footage captured Floyd retreating from Marion at the moment of the alleged shooting. Police noted additional surveillance video showing Floyd throwing beer cans and Marion’s phone before the fatal incident.
Marion’s attorney, John Keith Perry, supported her self-defense claim, asserting that the video taken by Marion depicted Floyd advancing on her despite her repeated commands to “Back the f— up.” Perry told WMC, “She defended herself when she was facing grave, grave danger, and as a result, she has been thrust into the criminal justice system, hopefully for a brief duration.”
WMC reported that Perry said there were details from the confrontation that were left out of the affidavit. Law&Crime reached out to Perry for clarification on this, but did not receive an immediate response.
Law&Crime also reached out to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office for their response but did not hear back.
She posted $100,000 bond days after her arrest and remains free pending trial.
