Karmelo Anthony Charged as Adult

The teen who’s been charged in the murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf will be tried as an adult in Texas.

Last month, Metcalf was stabbed to death at a high school track meet after reportedly telling Karmelo Anthony, 17, that he was sitting in the wrong seat. Anthony has been charged with first-degree murder and, according to an arrest warrant, told police of the fatal stabbing, “I did it.”

Anthony will be tried as an adult, since Texas is a concurrent jurisdiction state, according to Capital B. The laws allow prosecutors to charge minors, typically 16 or 17 years old, as adults with certain crimes.

The Collin County District Attorney’s Office, which is north of Dallas, is prosecuting the case of Metcalf’s apparent murder. Anthony was charged with first-degree murder in April, but a grand jury will review the evidence and decide whether to formally indict on that charge, or on a lesser charge like manslaughter, Capital B reported.

If Anthony is convicted of first-degree murder, he could face life in prison with a chance at parole after 40 years. He will not face the death penalty.

“The Supreme Court has said not only can you not seek the death penalty against someone who committed a crime when they’re 17, you can’t even get them life without parole. That would not be something we could do even if we wanted to,” Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said, according to the New York Post.

Anthony’s bond was initially set at $1 million, but a Collin County judge agreed to lower the bond to $250,000 and granted Anthony house arrest at his parents’ home.

The racially-charged case made headlines again earlier this month when it was reported that Anthony was allowed to graduate high school.

Jeff Metcalf, the father of Austin Metcalf, said he wanted answers about the decision to allow Anthony to graduate high school, but he was “stonewalled” by Frisco Independent School District Superintendent Mike Waldrip.

“I’ve been stonewalled. Sad, you know, I understand the protocol,” Jeff Metcalf said. “They said I have to make an appointment, which I did.”

There was reportedly an agreement between the district and Anthony’s parents to allow the teen to graduate.

“So I’m just curious on how they arrived at it,” Jeff Metcalf said, according to CBS News. “When I read their own policy manual about what it states for mandatory expulsion and also graduation, now, he may be placed in a program where he was able to continue his education at home, where he did maintain the credits and could get his diploma.”

There’s a movement online to grant Metcalf an honorary diploma, but that stirred up more feelings for Jeff Metcalf.

“That would be great, because his name will be called right before his brother’s name,” he said. “But the fact of the matter is, it’s not going to bring my son back. I mean, it’s a nice gesture, but in the long run, my son doesn’t get a diploma. So, there’s part of me that says maybe Mr. Anthony shouldn’t get one either.”