FRISCO, Texas — The new attorney for Karmelo Anthony, the teenager accused in the deadly stabbing at a Frisco track meet earlier this month, reiterated Anthony’s claim of self-defense, saying “every Texan has a right to defend themselves when they reasonably fear for their life.”
Mike Howard, who was appointed as Anthony’s lawyer last week, spoke briefly after a judge decided to reduce Anthony’s bond amount from $1 million to $250,000 Monday. Howard had asked Judge Angela Tucker to reduce Anthony’s bond further, to $150,000, but he said her decision to set it at $250,000 was “fair.”
Anthony, a 17-year-old Frisco Centennial High School student, faces a murder charge in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf on April 2 at a University Interscholastic League (UIL) district track meet at Frisco Independent School District’s Kuykendall Stadium.
Anthony has remained jailed since he was arrested after the incident happened. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, police said Anthony admitted to stabbing Metcalf but claimed he was protecting himself.
In his comments after Monday’s bond hearing, Howard immediately brought up the angle of self-defense.
“Every Texan has the right to defend themselves when they reasonably fear for their life,” Howard said. “Self-defense is a protection that applies to every one of us. There are two sides to every story.”
Howard called Anthony “an excellent student” who was the captain of his track and football teams and was recently thinking about what college he planned to attend.
“This is a tragedy all the way around,” Howard said. “For both families. Rushing to judgement, trial by public perception and trial by media is not how we ensure justice is done. We are confident that after a full investigation, the truth will come out.”
When asked why Anthony was armed at the track meet, Howard said, “That’s not something we’re prepared to go into.”
“I know the police and the prosecution want to get it right and want to have a full and fair investigation,” Howard said. “I understand that’s a big question. It’s going to be a big question, and it’s something that we will find out.”
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis also spoke after Monday’s bond hearing and said his office will wait for Frisco police to file the case, then prosecutors will review it to present the case to a grand jury.
“The judge has made her call (on reducing the bond), and we look forward to continuing the process and looking forward to reviewing all of the facts of the case that Frisco PD has come up with,” Willis said. “We will go where the facts lead us.”