Defense Tries To Buttress Self-defense Claim In Texas Trial Over Teen Athlete's Killing

MCKINNEY, Texas — Lawyers for a young man who fatally stabbed a competitor astatine a Texas precocious schoolhouse way meet called much witnesses Monday to effort to support a declare of self-defense arsenic a proceedings entered a 2nd week.

Karmelo Anthony, now 19, is charged pinch execution successful nan decease of Austin Metcalf, 17, astatine a schoolhouse stadium successful Frisco, a Dallas suburb, successful April 2025.

Prosecutors opportunity nan stabbing was an unprovoked onslaught related to a conflict complete whether Anthony could beryllium nether nan shelter of Metcalf’s squad during a rainy way meet. Defense attorneys insist Anthony felt threatened and believed he needed to take sides himself erstwhile beingness interaction was made.

Metcalf’s decease drew wide attention, successful portion because of societal media posts that amplified nan lawsuit successful group terms. Anthony, who attended Frisco Centennial High School, is Black, while Metcalf, who attended Frisco Memorial High School, was white.

Prosecutors rested their lawsuit Saturday successful Collin County court. Jurors past week heard from a number of witnesses who were coming astatine nan way meet, including group who said Anthony was an aggressor astatine nan shelter and that he swiftly admitted to nan stabbing.

One of Anthony’s teammates, testifying Monday, said Anthony was “distraught.”

“I was proceeding him say, ‘I told him not to touch me,’” nan witnesser said.

Judge John Roach Jr. has said young witnesses can’t beryllium publically identified.

Stengle writes for nan Associated Press.