Days after Karmelo Anthony was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison, one of his former defense attorneys is speaking publicly about what he believes the 19-year-old feels after the death of Austin Metcalf. The comments have added another emotional layer to a case that continues to spark debate even after the trial has ended.
Anthony was convicted in connection with the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025. Throughout the trial, Anthony admitted that he stabbed Metcalf but maintained that he acted in self-defense during a sudden confrontation.
Jurors rejected that argument and found him guilty of first-degree murder. The same case later ended with Anthony receiving a 35-year prison sentence, a punishment that has continued to divide public opinion between those who believe it was justified and those who believe the trial was unfair.
In an interview with TMZ Sports, defense attorney Mike Howard spoke about Anthony’s state of mind and the emotions he believes the teenager has carried since the fatal encounter. Howard said the situation unfolded quickly and chaotically, making it difficult to know exactly what Anthony was thinking in that moment.
Even so, Howard said his many interactions with Anthony led him to believe that remorse is part of how the teenager feels about what happened. He said Anthony believed he was defending himself in the moment, but also feels sorrow for Austin Metcalf, Austin’s twin brother Hunter, and the entire Metcalf family.
Anthony did not testify during the trial, and he has not publicly spoken in detail about the verdict or his emotions since the sentencing. Because of that silence, much of what the public knows about his feelings has come through his family, legal team, and courtroom reactions.
Howard also acknowledged that he could not fully explain private legal conversations with Anthony because of attorney-client privilege. When asked whether he advised Anthony not to testify, he declined to answer directly, but said the final decision on whether to take the stand always belongs to the defendant.
In many criminal cases, defendants are advised not to speak publicly while legal matters are still active. That appears especially important now because Anthony’s legal fight is not finished, and anything he says could become part of the ongoing public and legal discussion.
Court records show that a notice of appeal was filed soon after the guilty verdict. Anthony has also asked the court to appoint new counsel for the appeals process, and Howard confirmed that he is no longer representing him.
For now, Anthony remains convicted and sentenced, while Austin Metcalf’s family continues to live with the loss of their son and brother. Howard’s comments may offer one view of Anthony’s remorse, but they do not change the verdict, the sentence, or the painful reality that one confrontation at a school track meet permanently changed two families.
