Texas prosecutors dispute Black teen's self-defense claim in trial over track meet stabbing

MCKINNEY, Texas (CN) — Texas prosecutors told jurors Thursday that a Black teenager committed “provoked and unjustified murder” at a track meet last year when he stabbed a white teenager who shoved him.

Collin County First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye said during opening statements of Karmelo Anthony’s trial — where the now 19-year-old is accused of using a knife to stab and kill Austin Metcalf on April 2, 2025 — that Anthony told a responding police officer that he is “not alleged” to have stabbed Metcalf, that “I did it.”

Anthony pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and is claiming self-defense. But prosecutors say he baited and taunted Metcalf, 17, into touching him.

Wirskye told jurors Anthony told the police officer Metcalf “put his hands on me and I told him not to.” The attorney pointed to video surveillance and called the incident a “senseless murder.”

Anthony sat silently in a gray suit and did not react as Wirskye pointed at him during his remarks.

The two teenagers were in Memorial High School’s outdoor tent at a local track meet when the stabbing occurred. Anthony’s defense attorney, Mike Howard, said he was looking to get out of a rain storm since his school, Centennial High School, was the only team without a tent during the storm.

Howard told jurors Metcalf made the first physical contact during the scuffle and that Metcalf and his twin brother Hunter — at 6'1" and 213 pounds — were significantly taller and heavier than the 5'8" and 130 pound Anthony when confronted.

Howard also denied claims that Anthony tried to ditch the knife or run from the scene, telling jurors he left the knife by the tent near the bleachers and went straight to a coach.

He derided the “noise” and “completely false information” that has surrounded the case. The case has generated significant national attention and online misinformation stemming from the white victim and Black defendant.

There are no Black jurors on the 12-person jury, selected from a pool of over 500 people. During the three days of jury selection, Collin County District Judge John Roach allowed prosecutors to strike the remaining three Black potential jurors on Wednesday. Despite a Batson challenge from Anthony’s attorneys, prosecutors successfully argued the three were struck for the race-neutral reason of being educators of school-aged children.

The first prosecution witness called was Mark Porter, a video forensic analyst with the Tarrant County District Attorney. The surveillance video of the altercation was shown several times to jurors and appeared to not show the stabbing itself due to the zoomed-in images and bad weather.

Porter told jurors it appears Anthony was running or jogging away from the tent after the altercation and towards the stadium entrance.

Approximately 70 people packed into the courtroom gallery, consisting of media, supporters of the Anthony and Metcalf families and members of the public. No public comments were made by either side as there is a gag order in place.

The trial is expected to last two weeks. Anthony faces five to 99  years or life in state prison.

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