A Nashville jury found former Tennessee Titans scout Blaise Taylor guilty on all four murder charges for poisoning his pregnant girlfriend and their unborn child. The jury deliberated for just over two hours before delivering its verdict on July 1 after an eight-day trial. Taylor, 30, now faces a potential life sentence.
Prosecutors said Taylor fatally poisoned 24-year-old Jade Benning on Feb. 25, 2023, by lacing her pink lemonade with cocaine dissolved in alcohol at her Nashville apartment. Benning was five months pregnant at the time. Taylor called 911 and claimed she was having an allergic reaction. The unborn child died two days later. Benning died on March 6, her 25th birthday. Toxicology reports showed 1,787 nanograms of cocaine per milliliter of blood in her system.
Prosecutors argued Taylor did not want Benning to have the child. Benning’s friend testified that Benning called her the night of the poisoning saying, “I knew my drink tasted funny. I know you put something in my drink because I can’t even walk. You did this so something could happen to the baby.” Taylor had texted Benning months earlier about wanting no part of the pregnancy. Taylor’s defense argued Benning died from her own drug use.
Taylor was convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree premeditated murder, and two counts of felony murder. The first-degree murder charge carries an automatic life sentence. Taylor will be sentenced on Sept. 9. His family maintains his innocence, and his attorneys plan to appeal.
