Chaos unfolds outside of the courthouse in McKinney, Texas as opening statements in the Karmelo Anthony murder trial kicked off on Thursday with both sides making arguments that set the stage for what we can expect to see over the next couple of weeks.
First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye told the jury that Anthony brought a weapon – that was banned at the school event – into Frisco’s Kuykendall Stadium then “plunged the knife into the chest, buried it into the heart of another young man, causing his de*th, and then he ran away”
He called the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf a “provoked, unjustified m*rder” that “has nothing to do with race” and “is not self-defense” saying that Anthony provoked Metcalf by taunting Austin and his brother after they told him to leave their school’s tent area,
“The facts of this case are as simple, as this k*lling was senseless” he said, adding that the video tells the story, shows the m*rder and there are witnesses that will testify to it.
On the flip side,
Lead defense attorney Mike Howard told jurors that “Everybody in that tent is a teammate and friend of Austin and Hunter Metcalf” appearing to introduce the thought that they may have a motive to give testimony favorable to the Metcalf’s saying “You’re going to hear differing accounts of what was said”
Howard also detailed the size difference between the defendant and deceased saying that Anthony is 5’8 and about 130 pounds while the Metcalf brothers were closer to 6’1 and about 215 pounds
He admitted that Anthony was told to leave the tent – which was designated to Memorial High School – but refused, instead sending off a warning ‘touch me and see what happens’
And this is where the defense deviates saying that Austin “makes the first physical contact, in spite of the warning,” then claimed the situation was filled with chaos and fear and Anthony had to make a split second decision saying
“In that split second, melo has a decision to make, how and when to act” “So he reacts in a split second of fear and chaos” “He immediately says I was defending myself”
Howard is referring to Anthony as Mello during the trial..
Opening statements and the first half day of witness testimony being heard by a jury that was seated on Wednesday – and will determine the fate of Anthony – he faces five to 99 years or life in prison.
A jury of 12 people plus six alternates were chosen out of 600 – we now know the make-up of the jury as they filed in for day one of trial. There are 10 women 8 men, and they are a mix of White, Asian, Hispanic and Middle Eastern aged from their 20’s through their 60’s.
The final three black potential jurors were dismissed on Wednesday on the grounds that they were all educators, therefore too close to the case. The defense objected but the judge overruled.
Dominique Alexander, who acted as a Confident for the family said not having any black jurors was ‘deeply troubling” adding that there is outrage because
“The prosecution used its final strikes to remove the remaining qualified Black jurors from the jury pool.”
During the selection process potential jurors were asked:
Whether they would be able to send a young person to jail, with some saying
“He does look like a child”
“Maybe he can learn something. I’d want him to learn.”
Others said they’d have a hard time putting someone who is black behind bars, with one man saying
“I don’t know that I could put a brother in jail.”
Some potential jurors are worried that there would be some type of backlash if a certain verdict was reached in the case.
One man said he was angry when he heard about Anthony stabbing and k*lling Metcalf saying he has a son the same age.
Anthony’s defense attorney pulled out all the stops during jury selection from referencing to Anthony as ‘mellow’ …. to claiming Anthony was legally able to carry the knife, and even asking about the potential jurors’ stance on immigration policy.
Howard asked the jury pool their opinions about the ‘current’ immigration policies in the US and whether they agree with them or not.
Some of the potential jurors refused to answer the question.
Experts say this is a tactic to find out whether a potential juror is a Democrat or Republican with the plan of eliminating any person who is pegged as a Republican.
Howard also the jury pool that Texas law allows people to carry a knife that is under 5.5 inches in a public place, however, Howard neglected to tell the jury pool that Anthony was in possession of the knife at a high school track meet on school property.
Anthony stabbed Austin Metcalf at the track meet, in the bleachers of a school sponsored event on Frisco ISD property.
The Frisco ISD property is not a public place and people are explicitly banned from carrying weapons on school grounds, or at school sponsored events.
Howard also attempted to assert that Anthony’s life was ‘in danger’ when Metcalf allegedly pushed Anthony and told him to leave the tent area.
He asked the potential jurors that if their ‘life was in danger’ did they think they had the right to defend themselves.
Fast Facts:
Then 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf in the chest with a knife on April 2, 2025, at a track meet at David Kuykendall Stadium, ki*ling him.
It happened during a rain delay under the Memorial High School’s team tent.
Anthony, a Centennial High School student, sat in an area reserved for Memorial athletes.
Witnesses say the Metcalf brothers told him to leave the tent because it was for their team only.
Anthony refused, grabbed his bag, opened it, reached inside, and said,
“Touch me and see what happens.”
Anthony then allegedly told Metcalf,
“Punch me and see what happens.”Metcalf pushed Anthony to move him.
Anthony pulled out the knife and stabbed Metcalf then ran away.
Metcalf ran down the bleachers holding his chest, collapsed, and died in his brother’s arms despite CPR efforts by trainers.
He had no pulse when police arrived.
Anthony spontaneously said,
“I was protecting myself.”
When an officer referred to the “alleged suspect,” Anthony replied, “I’m not alleged, I did it.”
He added that Metcalf “put his hands on me. I told him not to.”
While in the police car, he asked if it could be considered self-defense.
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