A little more than a year after he stabbed fellow high school athlete Austin Metcalf, Karmelo Anthony has been found guilty of murder.
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According to AP News, the jury rejected Anthony’s claims that he stabbed Metcalf in self-defense after the two athletes were involved in a heavy confrontation during a track meeting in April 2025. Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Anthony, an athlete from another school, reportedly refused to leave a tent that had belonged to Metcalf’s team. This led to a shouting match between Anthony and Metcalf, which eventually resulted in Anthony pulling a knife and stabbing Metcalf.
Although an ambulance quickly arrived on the scene, Metcalf passed away in his twin brother’s arms.
Although Anthony did not testify during his trial, his mother took the stand to tell jurors he was sorry for his actions.
Metcalf’s father also spoke out. He denounced anyone who sought to cause racial division in the case. Anthony is black, while Metcalf was white.
“You failed your parents, you failed yourself, and you failed society,” Metcalf’s father stated, looking directly at Anthony following the teen’s sentence.
It took less than three hours for the jurors to deliberate on the verdict. While they did have the option of a lesser charge, manslaughter, the jurors went with murder.
Prosecutor on the case, Bill Wirskye, sought a lengthy prison sentence. “Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent,” he said.
Anthony’s Legal Team Shares His Side of What Happened at the Track Meet
Howard told the jurors that Metcalf had “no legal right to put his hands” on Anthony.
“Texas law does not require that you wait until you get hit,” Howard explained. “In that split second of chaos, you must put yourself in his shoes.”
However, prosecutors claimed that Anthony had provoked Metcalf. Witnesses also testified that Anthony was the aggressor in the situation.
“This is not self-defense, folks. It’s murder plain and simple,” Wirskye declared.
In a police report, it was revealed that Anthony had allegedly told Metcalf, while reaching into a bag, “Touch me and see what happens.”
Metcalf then pushed Anthony, who then pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the chest.
“You don’t get to meet a shove with a stab,” Wirskye stated. “Especially if you provoke the shove.”
The teens notably did not know each other.
Regarding her son’s actions, Anthony’s mother told the jurors before the sentence was announced, “He’s very sorry for what he did. Please, have mercy on my son.”