Karmelo Anthony, 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prisonon Tuesday (June 9) after a Collin Countyjuryconvicted him of murder in the April 2025stabbingdeath of 17-year-oldAustin Metcalf during a high schooltrack meet in Frisco, Texas. Anthony’s legal team has already filed an appeal challenging both the conviction and the sentence.
In the hours following the sentencing, a number of public figures weighed in on the case, with many pointing to race as a central issue in both the trial and its outcome.
Anthony is Black, while Metcalf was white. Critics of the verdict have highlighted the fact that every Black prospective juror was removed during jury selection. The jury ultimately deliberated for less than three hours before returning a guilty verdict.
Among the most outspoken critics was Texas CongresswomanJasmine Crockett, who represents Dallas’ 30th Congressional District. Speaking with TMZ, Crockett described the verdict as “evidence of a broken system,” arguing that both race and venue played significant roles in the case…