"No Black Jurors" Judge Rejects Challenge and Allows Karmelo Anthony Trial to Proceed

McKINNEY, Texas. — Nearly 600 people received summonses for jury duty. By the time attorneys finished their strikes, not a single Black person remained among the eighteen individuals selected to decide the fate of Karmelo Anthony, the teenager charged in the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf.

Race became a flash point before opening statements could begin. Defense lawyers challenged the removal of the last eligible Black members of the pool, arguing the pattern violated constitutional protections. Judge John Roach Jr. rejected the objection and cleared the way for testimony. As reported by CBS Texas, the original group of 589 prospective panel members was reduced through days of screening before twelve panelists and six alternates were chosen.

Anthony, now 19, faces a murder charge connected to the April 2025 death of Metcalf during a track meet in Frisco. Prosecutors contend the encounter ended with an unjustified stabbing. Anthony has maintained he acted in self defense during a confrontation between the two teenagers.

Disagreement over race soon gave way to disagreement over motive. Lawyers representing Anthony insisted the removals reflected improper reasoning. Prosecutors countered that race played no role in their decisions. After hearing both sides, Roach denied the request to restore the challenged members of the pool.

Demonstrators gathered near the courthouse entrance while cameras lined sidewalks and television crews delivered live reports. Signs supporting both families stood only yards apart, reflecting how a dispute that began beneath a track meet tent has expanded into a closely watched national story.

Competing versions of the encounter will now be placed before the people seated in the jury box. One side intends to portray Anthony as the aggressor. The other plans to argue that fear and split second judgment shaped his actions. Witness accounts, video recordings, and forensic evidence are expected to occupy a central role throughout the trial.

Selection battles have ended. Attention now turns to testimony, exhibits, and the events that unfolded during the final moments of Metcalf's life. Eighteen people chosen from a pool of hundreds will ultimately determine whether Anthony's explanation withstands scrutiny inside the courtroom.