Blaise Taylor Convicted on 4 Murder Counts in 2 Hours Over Girlfriend's 2023 Poisoning

Q: Why was the murder charge for the unborn child more severe than the one for his girlfriend?

The unborn child charge was more severe because the jury found a higher level of intent for that death under Tennessee law. Taylor was convicted of second-degree murder in Jade Benning’s death, which generally means a knowing killing but not one the jury found was proven to be premeditated. By contrast, for the unborn child, the jury convicted him of first-degree premeditated murder, meaning jurors concluded prosecutors proved he acted with advance intent to cause the baby’s death. That distinction appears to have turned on the prosecution’s theory and evidence. Prosecutors argued Taylor poisoned Benning because he did not want the pregnancy. Jurors heard evidence that Benning was five months pregnant, that Taylor had allegedly pressured her to get an abortion, and that he was accused of secretly putting cocaine in her drink. That gave the state a basis to argue the fetus was the specific target of a planned act, even if jurors were not persuaded beyond a reasonable doubt that Benning’s own killing met the same premeditation standard. Tennessee law also treats an unborn child as a separate homicide victim in these circumstances, allowing a distinct murder count. That is why the fetus could support a first-degree murder conviction even though Benning’s death resulted in a lesser second-degree murder verdict. Taylor was also convicted of felony murder counts for both deaths, which separately elevate killings that occur during certain underlying felonies.

3 articles · Updated · WSMV 4 · Jul 1

Two hours after deliberations began, a Nashville jury convicted Blaise Taylor of second-degree murder in Jade Benning’s death, first-degree premeditated murder of her unborn baby and two felony murder counts.
Prosecutors said Taylor slipped a fatal dose of cocaine into a drink he gave Benning in 2023; she later died in the hospital and the pregnancy was lost.
The verdict fell short of prosecutors’ bid for first-degree murder in Benning’s death, making that count the only major reduction in the four-count case.
Closing arguments ended just before noon Wednesday after a compressed trial schedule that included Saturday testimony; Taylor did not testify, and the defense tried to raise doubt about how drugs entered Benning’s system.