Karmelo Anthony murder trial opens with no Black jurors seated

The murder trial of Karmelo Anthony got underway Thursday with opening statements after a racially charged jury selection process concluded without a single Black juror on the panel, delivering an early blow to the defense in a case that has gripped the nation since a fatal stabbing at a Frisco high school track meet more than a year ago.

After three days of proceedings, attorneys in Collin County selected 12 jurors and six alternates. None are Black. Anthony, who is Black, is charged with first-degree murder in the April 2, 2025, killing of Austin Metcalf, a White 17-year-old student-athlete who died in his twin brother’s arms after being stabbed once in the chest during a regional track meet at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco. 

The jury’s composition immediately drew scrutiny. Defense attorney Mike Howard raised what is known as a Batson challenge — a legal objection alleging that prosecutors struck potential jurors on the basis of race. Mr. Howard argued that the three women removed were Black females who were “similarly situated” to a white female the prosecution chose to keep. Prosecutors countered that all three were struck for a race-neutral reason: their occupations as educators, reasoning that the alleged incident occurred at a school function involving school-aged children. Judge John Roach Jr. sided with the prosecution, and the challenge failed. 

The jury pool began with 589 prospective candidates before being narrowed down through a day of vetting by prosecutors and defense attorneys. 

Jury selection had been complicated from the outset by the raw emotions the case has stirred. During questioning in Collin County, several potential jurors admitted they would struggle to convict Mr. Anthony or send him to prison because of his age, with one person telling the court, “He looks like a child.” Assistant District Attorney Dewey Mitchell pressed the panel directly, asking whether Mr. Anthony’s age, race, or resemblance to their own children would affect their ability to render a true verdict, according to WFAA, the Dallas outlet that covered the proceedings in the courtroom.

One panelist told Mr. Mitchell: “I don’t think I can make a decision about somebody so young. One mistake, one argument, one conflict, you can’t say he’s a bad person.” Another stated, “People are going to think I’m a monster, but…I have a hard time just considering five [years].” A third candidate said he did not know if he could put “a brother in jail,” according to Breitbart. 

Mr. Howard, in his own questioning, told the jury pool he was proud to represent his client and that he intended to refer to Mr. Anthony by his nickname, “Melo,” throughout the trial. “His life is literally going to be in your hands,” he said. The defense attorney also signaled that Mr. Anthony does not plan to testify on his own behalf.

Judge Roach had earlier issued strict rules for media and the public, prohibiting live streaming and any audio or video recording, citing concerns that unrestricted access could compromise courtroom security, juror privacy, and the defendant’s right to a fair trial.

Mr. Anthony, now 19, was 17 at the time of the stabbing. According to an arrest report obtained by Fox News and cited by CBS Texas, a witness told Frisco police that Metcalf asked Mr. Anthony to leave the Memorial High School tent area during the meet. When Mr. Metcalf stood up and pushed him, Mr. Anthony reached into his bag, produced a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest. Mr. Anthony fled the scene and was arrested shortly afterward. Upon confrontation by police, he reportedly said, “I’m not alleged, I did it,” and asked whether Metcalf was going to survive.