NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The case of a former Tennessee Titans scout who's accused in the deaths of his girlfriend and their unborn child was heard in a Nashville courtroom Thursday.
Blaise Taylor was arrested in connection to the poisoning deaths of Jade Benning and her unborn baby in March, nearly a year after they died in early 2023.
Taylor now faces two counts of first-degree murder. He's pleaded not guilty.
During the bond hearing, several witnesses on the stand, including a homicide detective investigating the case, Blaise's mother and Jade's best friend, who was allegedly on the phone with her the night she went to the hospital.
She told the judge when she got a late-night phone call from Jade, she overheard Jade and Blaise in conversation.
"She was saying, 'My drink tasted funny, I can't even walk straight, you did this to do something to the baby,'" she said.
Police said Blaise later called 911 and said she was having an allergic reaction. Her unborn baby died right away, and Jade died days later.
On Thursday, the defense argued there's not enough evidence to convict Blaise, while the state and homicide detective Adam Reese countered this was premeditated murder.
"It appeared there had been some cleanup done," said Reese, explaining a cup that was in front of Jade in a photo was missing when he was at the scene.
"It's not a spur-of-a-moment type of thing to put drugs in someone's beverage," he added.
Blaise's mother, Evelyn Taylor, took the stand later to delineate Blaise's past. She said he never got in trouble and was generally upstanding in society.
"He has not had any legal problems, no arrests," said Evelyn.
However, in speaking with her, the state finds Blaise may not have let his family know how serious Jade's condition was when she went to the hospital.
"When he calls his mother to tell her this information, the only information he gives her is that Jade Benning has COVID," said a lawyer on behalf of the state.
The judge did not set a bond yet. He said the next court date for Blaise will be on May 9.
