Posted on 06/09/2026 9:15:20 AM PDT by Red Badger
Jurors can consider manslaughter in addition to the murder charge against Karmelo Anthony, the judge said Tuesday.
Anthony is charged with murder in the April 2, 2025 death of Austin Metcalf. Both were 17 at the time and were set to compete that day for different Frisco high schools at a track meet. If convicted, Anthony faces up to life in prison.
The case has drawn national attention from the start and generated a flood of misinformation and racist vitriol on social media. Anthony is Black. Metcalf was white.
Journalists from The Dallas Morning News will provide live updates throughout the day from the Collin County courthouse in McKinney.
Jurors can consider manslaughter in addition to the murder charge against Karmelo Anthony, District Judge John Roach Jr. said Tuesday as he read the instructions to the jury.
If convicted of murder, Anthony could face five years to life in prison. But manslaughter, a lesser charge, carries a sentence of two to 20 years.
Closing arguments have wrapped up, with each side allotted 35 minutes to make their final case. Collin County District Attonrey Bill Wirskye waived the state’s right to go first.
Anthony’s lead defense attorney, Mike Howard, began his closing argument by challenging the state’s portrayal of the case, arguing that Austin Metcalf did not have the legal authority to “put his hands on” Anthony.
“A hit, a shove, a push,” Howard told jurors, “’Melo had an absolute right to defend himself from that.”
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
|
Click here: to donate by Credit Card Or here: to donate by PayPal Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794 Thank you very much and God bless you. |
Disgusting.
Quite.
Why not just report the victim's name as "metcalf"?
Many of our judges are leading the charge right over the cliff.
It used to be you settled arguments with your fists. Now you pull a knife or a gun. My oh my have we slid as a species.
Two years for manslaughter and five years for murder?
The kids in the ground forever. Family won’t ever get over it.
Something terribly wrong with this.
This killing was pre-meditated...who brings a knife to a track meet?
And this is probably what they'll return - total B.S.
They capitalize “black” but not “white.”
Manslaughter would be a severe miscarriage of justice.
> “’Melo had an absolute right to defend himself from that.” <
Well, okay. But the force must be proportional to the threat. And that’s not what happened here. Karmelo Anthony’s response was so disproportionate that it became a murder.
I hope the prosecutor makes that very clear to the jury.
Is........Was........ that’s the important part
“A hit, a shove, a push,” Howard told jurors, “’Melo had an absolute right to defend himself from that.”
He came over, started trouble, and used the knife he smuggled in illegally and with pre-meditation to stab someone to death. Self Defense, especially in the use of deadly force, means that you did not have an ‘escape’ option. This kid always had an escape option, and was the aggressor from the start. How is that Self Defense. He doesn’t have the right of ‘self defense’ when he initiated the conflict.
The system is not on our side. Maybe we need to stop relying on it.
NYT Style Book.....They all use it.................
It might be tough to prove murder 1 but 2nd degree murder is what this could be.
Manslaughter is a cop out and won’t keep riots from happening.
The racist blacks will not consider anything other than Not Guilty in this case.
Meanwhile manslaughter disrespects the family and the life of Austin Metcalf.
Karmelo wouldn’t be wasting precious oxygen if I were a family member of Austin.
The jury just began deliberations. If the verdict is pretty quick, it will be guilty.
It may be slowed down by the additional choice of manslaughter.
“Melo had an absolute right to defend himself from that.”
Bullshit......and there ain’t nothing “melo” about that little animal.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.