McKINNEY, Texas — Tensions ran high as the second day of testimony got underway Friday in the murder trial of a Karmelo Anthony, the Texas teenager accused of fatally stabbing a high schooler at a track meet.
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Three people were removed from the Collin County courthouse before morning proceedings began. A woman directed harsh words at a sheriff’s deputy, a blogger from North Carolina was removed for allegedly calling deputy a racial slur, and a third person may have been violating courthouse protocols prohibiting cell phone use and recording in the building.
Anthony, 19, who is Black, is charged with fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, 17, who is white, in the chest in a dispute over a seat at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, April 2, 2025.
Anthony has pleaded not guilty. Anthony’s attorney Mike Howard said Thursday in opening arguments that the stabbing was in self defense, but Texas prosecutor Bill Wirskye said the case was “unjustified provoked murder.”
Anthony was 17 at the time of the stabbing but in Texas, 17-year-olds are considered adults. If Anthony is found guilty, he could face five years to life in state prison.
The case has drawn national attention, in part because of the racial dynamics. The makeup of the jury, with no Black members, has drawn criticism from some group and trial watchers.
Texas state district judge John Roach Jr. issued a stern warning to the public attending the trial at the start of Friday’s proceedings. He warned them they are not allowed to talk and “if myself sees you do that they are authorized to escort you out and you’re not allowed to come back.”
Early in Friday’s proceedings, state prosecutor Wirskey showed a four-minute video of Anthony’s arrest, part of which was captured by the body camera worn by Officer Eduardo Cortez, the school resource officer for Frisco police department.
Cortez testified that he was at a nearby middle school when the call went out over the radio of a stabbing, with a description of the suspect.
In the video, Anthony is seen holding his hands over his head while the officer tells others over his radio that he has located the alleged suspect.
Anthony, who is barely audible in the video clip, makes a pleading comment. Cortez had testified minutes before that Anthony had said, “I’m not alleged. I did it.”
“He put his hands on me. I told him not to. He put his hands on me,” Anthony said.
Anthony’s emotion became a point of argument in the trial over whether Anthony was crying or was calm and cool. Cortez testified that he had described Anthony as emotional in his report, but that description only applied to when Anthony said he warned Metcalf not to put his hands on him.
Anthony spelled his name for officers in the video and they noted a small bit of blood on the finger of one of his cuffed hands.
“I go to Centennial (High School). I’m in 12th grade,” he said in the video.
A second officer approached them and they escorted Anthony to the police cruiser. Anthony continued talking.
“When we placed him in the squad car, he asked if he was going to be ok. I told him I don’t know,” Cortez said.
Cortez said Anthony was cooperative.
Maria Guerrero reported from McKinney, Texas and Suzanne Gamboa from Austin, Texas.
