In a significant legal decision, a jury in Tennessee has found former NFL scout Blaise Taylor guilty of murdering his pregnant girlfriend, as announced on July 1. However, Taylor’s legal team has already signaled their intention to appeal the conviction.
Defense attorney Letitia Quinones-Hollins issued a statement to USA Today expressing respect for the judicial process but disagreement with the verdict. “Blaise maintains his innocence, and we plan to appeal this decision to prove he did not commit these crimes,” she declared.
According to ESPN, Taylor was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend, Jade Benning, as well as first-degree murder for her unborn child. Additionally, he faced two counts of first-degree felony murder.
While the jury in Nashville has recommended a life sentence, Taylor’s formal sentencing has been scheduled for September 9.
What Happened to Jade Benning?
According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, Benning tragically passed away on March 6, 2023, coinciding with her 25th birthday, at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Taylor called 911 around 9:38 p.m. claiming his girlfriend was suffering from an allergic reaction, however, investigators concluded after a months-long investigation that he poisoned Benning without her knowledge, killing her and their unborn child.
Prosecutors argued in their opening statements, per WSMV, that Taylor had been unhappy about the pregnancy.
Benning died of acute cocaine toxicity, the outlet reported, and was discovered by a paramedic lying face down her bed with pink foam coming out of her mouth.
It took the jury less than three hours to convict the the Tennessee TItans scout and former defensive back at Arkansas State.
Taylor has continued to proclaim his innocence through his attorney.
“We understand and respect the pain that Ms. Benning’s family and friends feel over her tragic death and the death of her unborn baby,” Quinones-Hollins told USA Today, “but putting an innocent man behind bars is also a tragedy.”