MK True Crime: "Tyler Robinson Request Granted, Teacher Shot by Child Sues, Bizarre Texts in Kada Scott Case"

Podcast: MK True Crime | Host: Mark Garrigus (MK Media)
Date: October 29, 2025
Featured Guests: Matt Murphy (former homicide prosecutor, author), Phil Holloway (criminal attorney & former police officer)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into three headline-grabbing true crime cases with complex legal and societal implications:

• Tyler Robinson and Courtroom Attire – A legal and procedural debate over the accused’s right to wear civilian clothes during pretrial proceedings in a high-profile shooting case.
• Abby Zwerner v. School District – The ongoing civil trial of a teacher shot by a 6-year-old student, raising massive questions about liability, school safety, and warning signs.
• The Kada Scott Case – Updates on the murder investigation of a Pennsylvania grad student, including stunning decisions by Philadelphia prosecutors and the role of bizarre text messages and prior abuse allegations.

Legal experts dissect each case, exploring judicial decisions, prosecutorial responsibility, and the often-tenuous balance between legal principles and public outrage.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Tyler Robinson Case: Right to Civilian Clothes in Court (01:04–13:33)

Summary:

• Background: Tyler Robinson, accused of shooting Charlie Kirk, was recently granted the right to wear civilian clothes, not jail garb, for all pretrial hearings and trial.
• Legal Principle: The presumption of innocence, and how defendant presentation affects jury impartiality, especially in televised, high-profile cases.
• Debate: Whether prosecutorial resistance to the clothing request was warranted, and the broader implications for appeals.

Key Insights:

• Phil Holloway (02:34):
  “You can’t present [the accused] to a jury in jail clothes… they are supposed to look just like everybody else… The idea is to take this appellate issue off the table before it even begins.”
• Matt Murphy (05:51):
  “Everything that Phil just said is exactly right… The presumption of innocence is real. It’s critically important… The judge made the right call.”
• Mark Garrigus (06:58):
  Shared a story about defense attorneys choosing jail clothes to elicit jury sympathy—though not applicable in a polarizing case like Robinson’s.
• Judicial Quote (08:33):
  “Mr. Robinson’s right to the presumption of innocence outweighs the minimal inconvenience of permitting civilian attire… request to appear in civilian clothing for all pretrial proceedings is granted.”
• Matt Murphy (10:41):
  “You don’t want to die on this hill as a prosecutor. Like this is an easy, easy gimme. Let them have it. Who cares?”

Memorable Moment:

• Discussion of Utah’s firing squad as a method of execution, and speculation as to why federal authorities haven’t intervened.
  • Mark Garrigus (12:57): “The amazing thing about Utah is that it’s a firing squad… my theory is that the feds have made the calculation that the firing squad in Utah, justice would be a lot quicker than if they were to get in there and muck it up.”

2. Teacher Shot by a 6-Year-Old Student – Lawsuit & School Negligence (15:14–27:33)

Summary:

• Background: Abby Zwerner, shot by a first grader, is suing the school district for over $40 million, alleging gross negligence by school administrators who ignored repeated warning signs and failed to search the child.
• Trial Status: Jury selection and opening statements have occurred; emotional testimony and administrative failures highlighted.

Key Insights & Timeline:

• Phil Holloway (15:25): “Employers owe their employees some reasonable duty of care… in this case, these people, particularly this one school administrator, was put on notice multiple times and ignored very, very clear warnings… the teacher was shot… and now she’s filed this lawsuit, rightfully so I think.”
• Emotional Testimony:
  • SOT: Abby Zwerner (18:10):
    • “‘I remember him pointing the gun at me… it was a pretty scary day. My initial reaction was, your kids need to get out of here. This is not a safe classroom anymore.’”
• Matt Murphy (18:59): “This is one that just gets your blood boiling, doesn’t it?... This is so bad, right?... There’s plenty of gross negligence to go around between the mom and between the school.”
• Phil Holloway’s Red Flags Timeline (22:37):
  • 9:20am – Aggressive, threatening behavior ignored by administrator.
  • 12:00pm – Two students report the boy has a gun/ammo; administrator again refuses action.
  • 12:30pm – Suspicious behavior re: child's pockets; again, refused to search.
  • 1:40pm – Student shows gun/bullets to a friend; administrator delays search.
  • 1:58pm – Teacher is shot.
• Mark Garrigus (25:14):
  “Trials are basically to determine who’s the asshole. And in this case, I think Ebony Parker or Ebony Parker’s lawyer so far is winning that contest.”

Notable Quotes:

• Matt Murphy (22:21): “What kind of mom would leave a loaded gun without a safety on it in her purse? ...I think this jury’s going to come in with a big dollar amount on this.”
• Phil Holloway (25:02): “They did nothing and then she got shot. I can’t understand the strategy.”

3. The Kada Scott Murder: Prior Charges, Progressive Prosecution, Bizarre Texts (30:13–44:42)

Summary:

• Background: Kada Scott, a 23-year-old Penn State grad, murdered after leaving work. The accused (Keon King) had prior kidnapping and assault allegations dismissed after the victim wouldn’t cooperate, reportedly out of fear. Those charges are now reinstated.
• Key Evidence: Odd text messages (“kidnap me again”), cell phone evidence, and evidence suggesting role-play scenarios in a dangerous relationship context.

Key Insights:

• Matt Murphy (33:17): “Larry Krasner is… just one of a number of these so-called progressive DAs… when you have people that pose a real danger, that kind of progressive philosophy breaks down. And it broke down in this case.”
• Discussion on Text Messages:
  • Phil Holloway (32:56):
    “There’s some very strange text messages… ‘kidnap me again’… Does it signal a relationship dynamic or is it more sinister?”
  • Matt Murphy (35:49):
    “Whenever you have text messages in a case… the killer got a hold of the phone and had a whole series of text messages he was putting in for the victims.”
    “Always have a skeptical eye on those text messages… evidence can often, for guilt or innocence, our first impression can often be wrong.”
  • Phil Holloway (38:20): “Keon King has some kind of… kidnapping and strangulation fetish… she (prior girlfriend) was lucky to be alive.”
  • Mark Garrigus (43:04): “If you’re him, the defense lawyer… try to interview the newly refiled, complaining witness… see if she admits this was a role play. …Everybody’s got their own sexual peccadilloes…”
  • Matt Murphy (44:04): “Although I doubt she [Kada Scott] shot herself in the head. I agree with you, though.”

Prosecutorial Blame & Policy Anger:

• Matt Murphy (40:40):
  “It is mind boggling to me… so predictable that this guy was dangerous… whoever made that call ought to resign and go into some other form of law.”
• Political Fallout:
  Discussion of DA Krasner’s reelection and prior California DA Gascon’s electoral defeat as a reaction against “revolving door” policies with dangerous unintended consequences.

4. Mailbag: Missing Child and School Liability (50:22–54:25)

• Listener “Autumn” asks about liability when a child is enrolled in homeschool.
  • Matt Murphy (51:37):
    “This might be a custody dispute… But I’d love to get Mark’s thoughts on this. This one could be one with a happy ending.”
  • Mark Garrigus (52:47):
    “It’s a pretty heavy lift to fix liability onto the school district when you’re homeschooling because the parents… generally have primary responsibility and dominion and control over their kids.”

Memorable Quotes & Lively Moments

• “The judge said, ‘it’s really no inconvenience at all… this is a win for the state, because that’s less that they're going to have to defend against on appeal’”
  – Phil Holloway (09:57)
• “My favorite is the little pockets.”
  – Mark Garrigus, in disbelief (24:11), referencing the administrator’s refusal to search the child’s pockets.
• “Plaintiff’s lawyer… if that lawyer has any game, you could get a jury so frothy over this… big payday coming for somebody on this one.”
  – Matt Murphy (26:45)
• “Let me tell you guys, this one… gets me twitchy. It just makes you so angry. It’s like, put me in the game.”
  – Matt Murphy, on the school shooting case (26:34)
• “If you’re so convinced that somebody’s guilty, then why not let the system play out? What are you afraid of?”
  – Mark Garrigus, on presumption of innocence (11:35)

Closing Arguments (54:25–64:41)

• Phil Holloway:
  Expressed gratitude to federal air traffic controllers working without pay, facilitating his ability to travel to a family funeral during a government shutdown.
• Matt Murphy:
  Ranted about the new wave of “officer created jeopardy” prosecutions, where police officers are retroactively criminally charged for split-second decisions, calling it “absolute madness” and warning it threatens law enforcement morale and public safety.
• Mark Garrigus:
  Defended the role of lawyers, including those representing unpopular or high-profile defendants, as essential to justice.
  “Lawyers are supposed to be there to advocate for the client, to be the voice for the client and to test the government… for those who throw verbal rocks or bricks at lawyers… remember… think about all the other wrongful convictions…”

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |-------------------------------------------|--------------| | Tyler Robinson & Court Attire | 01:04–13:33 | | Abby Zwerner Lawsuit, Teacher Shot Case | 15:14–27:33 | | Kada Scott Update, Progressive DA Debate | 30:13–44:42 | | Listener Mailbag: School Liability | 50:22–54:25 | | Closing Arguments / Final Rants | 54:25–64:41 |

Tone:
Candid, unapologetically opinionated, blending legal expertise with wry humor and passionate critique.

Summary Utility:
This episode is essential listening for true crime news followers, civil liberties watchers, or anyone curious about the real-world messiness of the criminal justice system—from the conduct of trials in the age of livestreams, to the delicate process of assigning blame after preventable tragedy, to the dangers and difficulties of “progressive” criminal justice reform.