OAN Staff Abril Elfi
12:34 PM – Monday, April 14, 2025
The bond for Karmelo Anthony, the 17-year-old who murdered Austin Metcalf at a Texas track meet, has been lowered from $1 million to $250,000.
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On Monday, Anthony’s lawyers asked for his bond to be lowered to $150,000.
“Given that Karmelo has no prior criminal history…given that this young man has not been in any sort of trouble before. $1 million is not necessary,” Defense Attorney Mike Howard said.
“This family needs to be able to survive. There’s been a tremendous amount of pressure. I think at this point, living in a gated community, given everything, the safety of their younger children is very warranted. Security details and criminal defense are not cheap.”
Howard suggested putting Anthony on an ankle monitor and imposing house arrest to “give this young man a chance to get out of jail and be with his family.”
After the hearing, Howard told reporters that “Every Texan deserves the right to defend themselves when they reasonably fear for their life.”
“Self defense is a protection that applies to each and every one of us. There are two sides to every story. Karmelo is a 17-year-old kid and an excellent student. He is the captain of his track team and the captain of his football team. This is a tragedy all the way around for both families.”
He went on to state that after a full investigation, “the truth will come out,” and that this has been a one-sided investigation.
“Bond, as the judge said, is not supposed to be an instrument of oppression, it’s not supposed to keep people in jail. It’s to ensure someone comes to court,” said Howard.
“I know both sides would ask that the temperature on this be allowed to come down,” he said.
The judge reduced the teenager’s bond to $250,000, and he will be placed under house arrest. The teenager will have to speak with the bailiff every Friday morning, and he is not allowed to use social media.
Before Anthony can be freed from jail and placed on house arrest, his family must post a bond.
Judge Angela Tucker said during the hearing that this is a bond hearing and not a trial, and the purpose of the bond is to ensure Anthony will return to court.
“I don’t take that lightly at all. I take those things very seriously.”
She went on to say, “There is no replacement for the loss of life or the loss of a child. I don’t want the family to think a bond amount is connected to the dignity of loss. You cannot make the person come back.”
Last week, an online fundraiser for Anthony was made which has now reached $417,077, earning more money than needed for him to post bail. However, CBS 11 News reported that his father, Andrew Anthony told the court that he has no access to the donated funds and could not afford to pay a $1million bond. Hence why he wanted the original number lowered.
Anthony has been held in the Collin County Jail since being charged with fatally stabbing Metcalf and leaving him to die “in his twin brother’s arms” at an athletic event in Frisco on April 2nd.
The stabbing began when Metcalf, a Memorial High School junior, requested Anthony, a Centennial High School student, to move from underneath Memorial’s pop-up tent during a rain delay — and Anthony refused, according to the arrest report.
Anthony then unzipped a bag, reached inside, and told Metcalf: “Touch me and see what happens,” a witness told police.
According to authorities, Metcalf then “grabbed Anthony to tell him to move and Anthony pulled out … a black knife and stabbed Austin once in the chest.”
Metcalf’s twin brother, Hunter, raced to Austin’s rescue, but was unable to save him.
“I put my hand on [his chest], tried to make [the bleeding] stop, and I grabbed his head and I looked into his eyes. I just saw his soul leave. And it took my soul, too,” Hunter told Fox News in an emotional interview the following day.
Anthony had attempted to flee the scene, but was quickly arrested.
“I’m not alleged, I did it,” Anthony confessed to police as he was being taken into custody, according to the arrest report.
“I was protecting myself,” Anthony allegedly told cops. “He put his hands on me.”
Anthony’s attorney, Deric Walpole, told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth that he believes his client had acted in self-defense, when he thrust a knife into Metcalf’s heart — as Anthony told police during his arrest.
“I know that my client said it was self defense. I don’t have any reason to disbelieve that, but I need to develop facts, talk to people, and figure out what’s going on before I make any statements about what I think happened,” Walpole told the outlet. “I don’t have any reason to think it wasn’t self defense at this time.”
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