Multiple witnesses testified that Anthony was the aggressor in the dispute that led to the stabbing.
One day after a jury convicted Karmelo Anthony for the murder of a fellow high school athlete, Austin Metcalf, his attorneys said they will appeal his case. Anthony was sentenced on June 9 to 35 years in prison for the crime; the jury rejected the lesser charge of manslaughter.
“We believe there are several important issues for the appellate courts to consider,” Mike Howard, Anthony’s attorney, told TMZ. “An appeal is the next part of the legal process and a right afforded every American.”
The Epoch Times has reached out to Howard for comment.
Here are a few facts about the case.
The Circumstances of the Crime
On April 2, 2025, Memorial High School students at a track and field event in Frisco, Texas, returned to the bleachers and found Anthony sitting under a tent designated for their team.
One student, 17-year-old Metcalf, asked Anthony to leave, since he was a student of rival Centennial High School.
After Anthony refused, other students joined in and the altercation became heated.
“Touch me and see what happens,” Anthony allegedly said, according to an arrest report.
Later witness testimony was unclear about whether Metcalf shoved Anthony with one hand or two, as well as exactly how hard he pushed him.
What happened next is not in dispute: Anthony quickly produced a folding knife from his bag, stabbed Metcalf in the heart, and fled. Metcalf died shortly after, in the arms of his twin brother.
Police arrested Anthony the same day, but he was released from prison after his bond was reduced. He was indicted for murder in June 2025.
A GiveSendGo fundraiser for Anthony drew public criticism, but also raised more than $600,000. A disclaimer on the donation page clarified that the money would be used for “the safe relocation of the Anthony family due to escalating threats to their safety,” counseling, and other costs.
The Trial
Ahead of the trial, Howard spoke to reporters and urged the public not to rush to judgment.
He pointed out that Anthony was captain of his school’s track and football teams, describing him as an “excellent student … who’s never been in any sort of trouble before” and as someone going through a “scary, bewildering process.”
He later told jurors that Anthony had acted out of self-defense and fear, The Associated Press reported.
“Texas law does not require that you wait until you get hit,” Howard said. “In that split second of chaos, you must put yourself in his shoes.”
But multiple witnesses testified that Anthony, not Metcalf, was the aggressor.
“Dude, I’m not gonna fight you at a track meet,” one witness quoted Metcalf as saying, according to local media reports.
