Jury selection in the murder case against former Tennessee Titans scout Blaise Taylor is scheduled to kick off Monday, and the lawyers are already fighting over what the jury will actually get to hear. Just days before prospective jurors arrive, Taylor’s defense team filed motions asking a judge to toss out or sharply limit key forensic evidence. They argue that gaps in the chain of custody and a recently corrected lab report cast doubt on blood and urine test results prosecutors want to introduce. As of this report, the court had not ruled on those requests.
Taylor has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of felony murder, according to the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk. The indictment identifies 25-year-old Jade Benning and her unborn child as the victims; authorities say Benning was rushed from a Lebanon Pike apartment to Vanderbilt University Medical Center after an emergency call, per the Metro Nashville Police Department. Court coverage and filings indicate Taylor is free on a $2.5 million bond while the case moves toward trial, per WSMV.
Defense Seeks Chain-of-Custody Hearing
Defense attorneys have asked a Davidson County judge to limit or exclude portions of the state’s forensic evidence and to hold a full hearing on the chain of custody for biological samples, as reported by WKRN. The motions argue that before test results go in front of jurors, prosecutors must account for who collected, handled, stored and tested the blood and urine samples. The filings point to a corrected lab report recently turned over that lists a different collection date and time for one sample.
The defense is also pushing to have the analyst who actually performed the testing take the stand, rather than a separate reviewer, which they say is backed by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, according to the station. In other words, they want the person who did the work, not someone reading the paperwork, fielding questions in front of the jury.
What Attorneys and Family Said
Defense lawyer Letitia QuinonesaHollins told WKRN that “what we are asking is that everyone keeps an open mind,” adding that she believes the evidence will ultimately show Taylor is innocent. The victim’s mother, who described the case as “gut wrenching,” told the station she remains convinced Taylor is responsible, according to the report.
Legal Stakes and What to Watch
The pretrial rulings on these motions could have an outsized impact on how the trial unfolds. If the judge excludes or narrows the scientific evidence, it would significantly change what jurors hear about toxicology and other lab findings.
Supreme Court precedent has limited when written lab results can be admitted without the analyst who prepared them testifying in court; see Bullcoming v. New Mexico and background on Melendez Dedaz v. Massachusetts. Court records show the case is set for jury selection Monday in Davidson County Criminal Court, where Judge Steve Dozier is assigned, according to the public docket.
What’s Next
Jury selection is slated to begin Monday, with the judge expected to resolve the outstanding pretrial disputes before opening statements. Those rulings will define which scientific testimony and lab reports jurors are allowed to consider once the high-profile case moves fully into trial.
