Overview
- A Collin County jury found 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony guilty of first-degree murder on June 9 and jurors imposed a 35-year prison term that began with his transfer to the Wallace Pack Unit.
- Anthony admitted he stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco high school track meet but said he acted in self-defense, a claim the jury rejected after witness, surveillance, and medical testimony.
- Anthony filed a notice of appeal and a court filing asserting indigency and asking for appointed appellate counsel, formally starting the legal challenge that will focus on procedural rulings.
- Controversy has centered on the trial’s jury selection, accusations about the absence of Black jurors, the judge’s decision to bar cameras from the courtroom, and the removal and reported disbursement of a six‑figure GiveSendGo fundraiser.
- The case has produced intense public reaction that has affected both families — including widely shared racist remarks by the victim’s father and withdrawn public endorsements for Anthony’s supporters — and raised broader questions about race, media access, and how Texas courts will review such procedural claims on appeal.