A Texas jury convicted 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony of murder and sentenced him to 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing a fellow teenager at a high school track meet, but his grandmother left the courthouse Tuesday shouting claims of racism and bias to a crowd of supporters outside.
Chaos Outside the Courthouse
Toni Hayes, Anthony’s grandmother, was filmed yelling through the passenger window of a black Acura sedan as she departed the McKinney courthouse in the Dallas suburbs. The crowd of mostly black supporters erupted in chants of support for the convicted killer, with some shouting “We love Karmelo!” and “Free Karmelo!” Hayes made a heart gesture toward the protesters and told them to “keep your head up” before the vehicle drove away from the scene.
The demonstration included calls of “Power to the people!” as Hayes declared through the car window, “Send that message that they can do whatever.” The family quickly claimed Anthony was a victim of racism following the guilty verdict, despite the jury’s careful consideration of the evidence presented during the murder trial.
The Fatal Stabbing at a Track Meet
Anthony killed Austin Metcalf in April of last year during a track meet at a Frisco high school. The defendant claimed he acted in self-defense, but jurors rejected that argument after reviewing the evidence. Prosecutors successfully convinced the jury that the killing was premeditated murder, not a heat-of-passion incident. Anthony’s defense team also attempted to reduce the charges to second-degree murder by arguing the stabbing occurred in the “passion of the moment,” but the jury rejected that claim as well.
Verdict and Sentencing
The 35-year prison sentence reflects the jury’s determination that Anthony committed first-degree murder without legitimate justification. The conviction came after deliberations on Tuesday, with the jury finding no merit to either the self-defense claim or the argument for reduced charges. The family’s immediate response of alleging racism began even before Hayes departed the courthouse, with the chant appearing to originate among supporters who had gathered ahead of the verdict announcement.
What This Means
The case highlights ongoing tensions in the criminal justice system when families dispute guilty verdicts by claiming bias. Despite the jury’s careful review of evidence and rejection of multiple defense arguments, Anthony’s supporters immediately framed the conviction as unjust. The murder occurred at a public school event, leaving one teenager dead and another now facing more than three decades in prison for the fatal stabbing.
have protesters seen the evidence, or are they playing the black privilege game, just turned his life around, is there no shame?
Black privilege. They don’t care about the evidence. They ignore it and twist it.
Where was she in his formative years ? Did she not raise him right ??
She $$$$pent all k.a. $$$ on luxury car ; not poor bag boy wid a demonic boning knife k.a.
Too late Letrec !!!!
Waiting for reparations ??
Racism and prejudice are their anthem. No matter that Karmelo committed cold blooded murder. They have spent all his go-fund me money and they want more. Once they milk the money and attention bone dry, K will be forgotten in prison for the next 35 years.
K will remember every single day….. guaranteed
I thought that would come up.
Evidence Doesn’t Lie. Deal with it.
They always claim racism when they have nothing else.
NO LIES TOLD, IT IS A VERDIC BASED UPON SKIN COLOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PERIOD!
How was it color related? 21 witnesses said Karmelo was the aggressor. The lies that a group of people attacked him are not true. The Video showed exactly what happened. All the family is doing is stirring the racism they taught Karmelo. Karemlo did not stand a chance with all the evidence. He was 100% guilty.
Who carries a knife to a track meet?
Have you seen the evidence or were you there? If not your comment is invalid.
If it were here could have gotten death sentence
Just remember Texas isnt Minnesota. You decide to attack the Metcalf house and they can legally blow you away. CASTLE DOCTRINE
Right On!!
Did you know that the Defense Attorney helps pick people to sit on the Jury. What do you have to say about Karmelo’s Defense Attorney? Is the Defense Attorney Racist?
could be. Ask the “property owners” in Texas… da pay dem
We wuzzzz kings and shttt
How so? Even his own friends said Oatmeal was the aggressor. He said he was in the wrong place. Then why didn’t he leave when he realized it and why would he have a knife at the meet? No. Sorry. Race had nothing to do with the verdict. Besides, he said he did it. He admitted it.
Sorry. I didn’t write oatmeal. I failed to read before posting. Autocorrect is pain. Karmelo NOT oatmeal.
You are so wrong! The evidence convicted him, not his skin color! The People who scream racism are the actual racists!
Right. He was at school– should NOT have even had a knife there common sense.
Well there you go!! The unbroken link that created a Murderer!! She passed that hate down!
JUST AS YOU AND YOURS!!!!!!!!!!
You are an extremely hateful, racist, bigoted POS, unfortunately you are stupid as well, not a good combination
You are a moron racist.
He just walks around everywhere with a knife in his pocket. Where did he hide it ? I.
n his pants in joggers. I guess you always need a knife at a high school track meet.
So, it’s ok to commit murder as long as your skin is the correct color? Doesn’t really matter what the law says? What a load of horse crap! The law doesn’t care about skin color and neither should we. It was murder regardless of who was involved!
MANY corrupt judges are biased, see skin color as a reason to let them off easy. They are making the repeat offenders. They are helping to build a LONG rap sheet…… be careful in the South. bad odds, we are packing
So weary of the “racism” card. It died of overuse and old age long ago.
Murder is a crime, no matter what race, religion, or other commits it. Sounds like Anthony’s family benefited greatly by it, while Austin and his family suffer terrible loss. Race is not entitlement.
He had the weapon; he was where he shouldn’t have been. Would there be all of the protests if the other boy had been black? Why dose racism always enter into it when there is a conviction? Why is it alright to carry lethal weapons to high school sporting events? I guess it’s ok unless you get caught.
This is what’s tearing the country apart. There is no sense of “right and wrong”. Morality and justice only works when it works “for you”, but if you are the perpetrator and black, then you are the “victim”. This is what happens when God is removed from our society. ….And there is no remorse by him or his family. GOD HELP US!
Genesis 9:6. GOD says to “put them down”. WE are NOT obeying….anymore. IT will continue……
Here we go again. Using race as an excuse to get away with murder. Why did he bring a knife to a school sanctioned track meet.
BECAUSE THERE WERE BULLIES AND YOUR WELL TOUGHT RACIST KIDS THERE!
No one was bullying Karmelo. The video showed none of this claimed abuse. He was told 15 times to get out from under the team tent. He was expelled from school days earlier for carrying a knife at school. He was not allowed on Frisco school property. But, guess who showed up threatening people with a 5-inch knife? The biggest thug wants to threaten anyone and everyone. Now, He is in prison with real thugs.
Even if this was true, whatever happened to hitting a bully in the mouth instead of committing murder because your feelings get hurt?
2 boys who did not attend the same school or live in the same neighborhood. Toni is the bully in the room with you?
Your Post describes YOU to a T !!
Then why did he go there
I’m not understanding this. The article states that there were black supporters for the killer. Then racism is brought up. Why is racism brought up if there were black supporters for the white kid? Was that a misprint? It would make sense if the black supporters were there for the victim, not the killer. Why were black supporters chanting, “Free Karmello”. The article reads that way and therefore does not make sense.
STOP PLAYING DMB LADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
STOP PLAYING DUMB LADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sheila, Very good question. The questions and facts you provided does not work with the Karmelo family’s claims of racism. There were 21 witnesses. who ALL testified against Karmelo. 4 of them black. The evidence and video were overwhelmingly against Karmelo. The case the defense offered was a series of lies that were shot down by the clear video evidence. Karmelo fled. Karemlo tried to dispose of the murder weapon. Karemlo was not allowed on Frisco ISD property due to him being expelled for carrying a knife the day before. It was a premeditated murder.
My heart breaks for the family of the victim. They were given a life sentence. God will be the final judge and revenge is HIS.
Someone should ask Karmelo’s family this: For a moment, just reverse the 2 boy’s rolls. If Metcalf had stabbed Karmelo to death, how would you react now? You may be so enraged you’d encourage riots in the streets!
It’s really sad for both families. Karmelo, in a moment of anger, kill another boy. At least Karmelo is still alive, while the Metcalf boy is gone forever. Hopefully, when he is released, he will have learned a valuable lesson and go on to live a productive life.
Stop this nonsense of crying racism! Karmelo must pay for this crime.
No winners here, but you should not bring a knife to track and you should not stab somebody in the heart , evidence was overwhelming , stop playing the race card.
No accountability obviously handed down though the family. This is why these things happen.
This degenerate murderer should have got LIFE !!! Interesting how the murderers family is throwing a tantrum ,,,, but they sure didn’t take long to spend all that money they got from their go fund me account !!!!! They bought a mansion and several new luxury cars !! What a scam !!!
People like this screaming “racism” the minute someone breaks the law, and making that as an excuse for their entitlement only fuels any racism that may exist!!
same old bs if it happened the other way around it would have been a racist murder the kid killed somebody who will now ever have a life to enjoy so cut out all the george floyd crap the kid is guilty plain and simple
That court room is very nice.
Should have been a death penalty case
Anthony wanted to play tough guy. The only racism is by his family and his supporters. Well tough guy, now you can try to play tough guy with real tough guys. I don’t think you’re gonna like the way that works out for you.
He should get the same treatment he did to Metcalf – a FUKIN’ knife in the heart.
Thats VERDICT idiot…and that thug shouldhave gotten the CHAIR!!!
Should have gotten the Chair, but he’ll be somebody’s Bitch in there…