Karmelo Anthony’s father is speaking publicly after his son was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of Austin Metcalf, saying the family is still struggling to accept how quickly the jury reached its decision. For Andrew Anthony, the verdict and sentence have left behind questions he says his family cannot ignore.
Anthony, 19, was convicted in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. The jury rejected the defense’s self-defense argument and later sentenced him to 35 years behind bars, bringing the closely watched trial to an emotional end.
In an interview with CBS News, Andrew Anthony said one detail stood out to him immediately: the racial makeup of the jury. He said the panel did not include any Black jurors, a point that has now become one of the biggest issues raised by Anthony’s family and legal team after the verdict.
Andrew said he initially tried to convince himself that the jury’s makeup would not matter because he believed the truth was on his son’s side. But after the jury returned a guilty verdict in less than three hours, he said the family realized they had been wrong to expect what they saw as a fair outcome.
During jury selection, Anthony’s defense team raised concerns over the removal of Black prospective jurors. They filed a Batson challenge, arguing that race may have played a role in the strikes. Prosecutors denied that claim and said their decisions were based on other factors, including concerns about jurors connected to education because the stabbing happened at a school-sponsored event.
Judge John Roach sided with prosecutors at the time, allowing jury selection to continue. Now, Anthony’s legal team has already filed a notice of appeal, and the jury selection process is expected to become one of the key issues as the case moves forward.
Throughout the trial, Anthony’s defense insisted he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Metcalf. His mother, Kala Hayes, also defended her son publicly, saying he never intended to hurt anyone and believed he was protecting himself in that moment.
The jury did not accept that argument. Prosecutors said Anthony had other choices and that the confrontation should never have ended with deadly force. After hearing testimony from witnesses and reviewing the evidence, jurors convicted him of murder and later decided on a 35-year prison sentence.
Andrew Anthony also spoke about the pain on both sides of the case, saying nobody truly wins after what happened. He acknowledged the loss suffered by the Metcalf family while also saying his own son is now facing a life behind bars that no parent would want for their child.
Austin’s father, Jeff Metcalf, has also spoken about the grief his family carries, saying he chose forgiveness so he would not be consumed by anger. But he also said Austin will never come home again, and that people must be responsible for their actions.
Both families have said they continue to receive threats and harassment even after the verdict. For the Metcalfs, the sentence cannot bring Austin back. For the Anthonys, the appeal is only beginning. And for everyone connected to the case, the pain from what happened under that rain-soaked tent in Frisco is far from over.
