State says fentanyl mix killed Jordan Knight; defendant Curtis Day pleads not guilty in Cheatham County trial

The state told jurors on the first day of trial that it will present evidence that Curtis Day sold a Schedule II drug mixture that caused the death of Jordan Knight, who was found unresponsive at 178 Yates Lane on Oct. 3, 2020. The defendant pleaded not guilty.

The state’s opening described how, prosecutors said, Knight and a companion obtained drugs and ingested them while returning to Cheatham County; first responders arrived to find Knight unresponsive, deputies and paramedics performed resuscitation measures and he was later pronounced dead after being transferred to a hospital. "The state's case here will show that this Schedule 2 drugs was sold, that it was sold by the defendant Curtis Day, and that Jordan Knight did die," the prosecutor told jurors during opening statements.

The defense urged jurors to hold the state to its high burden. "Tragedy does not equal murder," defense counsel said, arguing the evidence will show multiple substances were present and that others may have distributed drugs.

Why this matters: The indictment charges Day under Tennessee law with unlawful distribution of a Schedule II drug that was the proximate cause of a death. If the jury finds the elements the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt, the charge carries serious criminal consequences.

What the court heard - Jury instructions and procedure: The presiding judge explained jurors’ duties and legal standards before evidence began, including…