A Nashville jury needed less than three hours on July 1 to convict former NFL scout Blaise Taylor of second-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Jade Benning, first-degree murder for the death of her unborn child, and two counts of first-degree felony murder.
Investigation and Trial
The conviction follows a months-long investigation into the events of March 6, 2023. On that night, which was also Benning’s 25th birthday, Benning was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Taylor had called 911 at approximately 9:38 p.m., claiming that his girlfriend was suffering from a severe allergic reaction.
A responding paramedic discovered Benning lying face down on her bed with pink foam coming out of her mouth. She later died at the hospital. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, investigators ultimately concluded that Taylor poisoned Benning without her knowledge. Tennessee authorities stated that the cause of death was acute cocaine toxicity, and prosecutors argued during opening statements that Taylor had been unhappy about the pregnancy.
Taylor has maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and his legal team immediately announced plans to challenge the jury’s decision. “While we respect the jury system and the process, we must also respectfully disagree with today’s verdict and plan to appeal the decision because Blaise did not do this,” defense attorney Letitia Quinones-Hollins said in a statement.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
