Conviction Upheld for Jamaican Woman Who Stabbed Girlfriend

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – An appellate court has upheld the murder conviction and sentence of a Jamaican woman who fatally stabbed her girlfriend.

Nadisha Beckford is serving a 42-year sentence for the February 2021 murder of Lakeisha Mackey outside the Showboy Bar on West Bay Street.

The Court of Appeal rejected arguments that the trial judge erred by admitting an audio recording of a conversation between Beckford and a friend after the stabbing.

Beckford’s lawyer Dorsey McPhee argued that the admission of the recording in which his client said, “I’m a vampire. I cut her throat and drink her blood” was more prejudicial than probative.

The appellate judges pointed out that the audio recording provided some support of Beckford’s contention that she acted in self-defense, as she could be heard saying that Mackey tried to hurt her.