Jury Begins Deliberations in Texas Teen Stabbing Trial

Jurors in Collin County started deliberating Tuesday on the murder case of Karmelo Anthony, accused of fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet last year. The 12-member panel may also consider a lesser manslaughter charge, according to District Judge John Roach Jr.

Prosecutors argued that Anthony provoked the confrontation by bringing a knife to the event, refusing to leave the tent, and then responding with lethal force after a shove. Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye told jurors that “you don’t get to meet a shove with a stab, especially if you provoked the shove.” He urged a murder conviction but said jurors could return a manslaughter verdict if they found merit in the self-defense claim.

Anthony’s defense maintained that he acted in self-defense after Metcalf pushed him. Lead defense attorney Mike Howard described the incident as “a hit, a shove, a push,” asserting Anthony had an absolute right to protect himself. The defense highlighted the angle of the knife wound, arguing it was consistent with a hurried defensive action rather than a deliberate stabbing.

If convicted of murder, Anthony faces five years to life in prison; a manslaughter conviction carries a sentence of two to 20 years. The trial, which has attracted national attention and extensive social-media commentary, has been conducted under strict courtroom rules, including a ban on cameras and prohibitions on expressive clothing or signage.

The jury’s deliberations will continue until a verdict is reached. Should they be unable to decide, jurors will be sequestered in a hotel without phones until they reconvene.