Karmelo Anthony murder trial continues into weekend

McKINNEY, Texas — The murder trial of a Karmelo Anthony, a Texas teen accused of stabbing a fellow high schooler at a track meet, continued Saturday.

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Anthony, 19, was arrested last year and charged in connection with the stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf — a student from a rival high school — during an altercation at a track meet at a high school in Frisco, Texas. He has pleaded not guilty.

Classmates of Metcalf and other witnesses took the stand Friday, testifying that Anthony had sat uninvited in the bleachers beneath a tent reserved for Metcalf’s school, Memorial High School in Frisco.

On Friday, state district court Judge John Roach Jr. issued an order barring public identification of any minor witnesses.

Anthony’s attorney is arguing that his client was acting in self-defense. The prosecution is contending that Metcalf’s killing was intentional.

Racial divisions around the case have propelled it to the national forefront, drawing the attention of both right-wing agitators and civil rights organizations. Anthony is Black; Metcalf was white.

“This case has nothing to do with race,” Texas prosecutor Bill Wirskye said on Thursday during his opening remarks. “This case is not self-defense. Unjustified provoked murder — that’s why we’re here this morning.”

Earlier this week, Next Generation Action Network, a civil rights organization that has been advocating in favor of Anthony, denounced the racial makeup of the jurors. Several of the jurors are people of color, but none are Black.

Anthony was 17 at the time of the killing. In Texas, 17-year-olds are considered adults. If Anthony is found guilty, he could face five years to life in state prison.

He posted a $250,000 bond for his release and has since been under house arrest. Representatives of Anthony have created a crowdfunding page — which has now raised over $600,000 — to help him pay for legal fees and other expenses.

Maria Guerrero reported from McKinney, Texas and Matt Lavietes from New York, New York.