Lawyer: Domestic violence may have led to Avenue B killing – The Daily Gazette

SCHENECTADY — The woman accused of killing her boyfriend in an Avenue B apartment earlier this week was acting in self defense, her lawyer said Wednesday. 

Daniel Smalls, who is representing 22-year-old Gabriella Beckwith, said his client was the victim of repeated domestic violence and appears to have been acting in self defense when she allegedly killed her boyfriend, 29-year-old Beyquan Campbell of Schenectady on Monday.

“I think it was just another scenario where there was domestic violence and unfortunately my client and the decedent — it appears they got into an altercation and one thing led to another. We think it may be self defense,” Smalls said. 

Beckwith was arrested and charged with one count each of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault and tampering with physical evidence, all felonies, for allegedly stabbing Campbell to death with a kitchen knife in a second floor apartment at 1930 Avenue B Monday morning. 

She was also charged with three counts of child endangerment since the incident took place “in the presence” of her three children, according to court documents. 

Smalls said Beckwith and Campbell had a child together, and the fact that the incident occurred in front of the children was an “unfortunate” circumstance. The children, he said, are staying with family.

He said Beckwith has long been the victim of domestic violence at the hands of Campbell, and that family and friends attempted to intervene in the past, but to no avail. 

Smalls said an investigation into the incident remains ongoing, but noted his client is in mourning. He called the situation a “worst case scenario.” 

“It’s a lose-lose situation. She obviously has these charges pending, but the father of her child is now deceased,” Smalls said. “That’s the reality. It’s the worst case scenario.”

Beckwith is due back in City Court for a preliminary hearing on Friday at 1:30 p.m.

Contact reporter Chad Arnold at: 518-410-5117 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @ChadGArnold. 

Categories: News, Schenectady, Schenectady County