Cardi B denounces verdict.
Cardi B Condemns Karmelo Anthony's 35-Year Sentence, Raising Racial Injustice Concerns in Texas
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Cardi B said she believes the case outcome would have differed “if Anthony was white,” explaining: “if Anthony was white and he was surrounded by a whole bunch of Black football players and two twins, the case would have went extremely different,” while also saying she doubts Anthony went “by himself to a tent full of strong ass football players” intending to cause trouble.
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Courtroom and trial specifics reported by outlets: the fatal incident occurred April 2, 2025, at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco during a high school track meet after rain disrupted the event; testimony described Austin Metcalf asking Anthony to leave a pop-up tent, shoving Anthony, and Anthony using a folding knife to strike Metcalf in the chest. Texas prosecutors tried Anthony as an adult.
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One report added context on sentencing exposure and deliberation: the Collin County jury deliberated for about three hours and returned a unanimous murder verdict; Texas District Court Judge John Roach Jr. read the verdict, with a potential maximum sentence of 99 years. The same coverage noted the “sudden passion” claim—rejected by jurors—could have reduced the sentence to under 20 years.
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Prosecutors disputed the race framing directly in closing arguments, with First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye telling jurors: “This case has nothing to do with race. This case has nothing to do with self-defense. This was an unprovoked, unjustified murder. It is senseless.”
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After the incident, a reported crowdfunding page described heightened safety concerns and planned expenditures beyond legal fees, stating funds would support “the safe relocation of the Anthony family due to escalating threats to their safety and well-being,” alongside living costs and “counseling” and security measures.
A Collin County jury convicted Karmelo Anthony of first-degree murder on June 9, 2026, and sentenced him to 35 years in prison for the 2025 stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco, Texas, high school track meet. Anthony was 17 at the time of the killing. The verdict set off a national debate about race and justice — and drew a sharp public rebuke from rapper Cardi B, who called the outcome "disgusting" and "not justice."
Anthony, now 19, appeared emotional and apologized to his family before being taken into custody, Complex reported. His legal team filed a formal notice of appeal the following day. The case has become a flashpoint over racial equity in the Texas justice system, juvenile sentencing, and self-defense law.
What Happened at the Track Meet That Day
On April 2, 2025, a rain delay at Kuykendall Stadium pushed athletes to seek shelter under pop-up tents. Anthony, a student at Centennial High School, entered a tent belonging to Memorial High School athletes. Austin Metcalf, who weighed 213 pounds, asked Anthony to leave and shoved him. Anthony, who weighed 130 pounds, pulled a folding knife and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest. Metcalf died at a local hospital shortly after.
Prosecutors called 21 witnesses during the trial. The defense called none in the guilt phase. After about two hours and 20 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict. The jury then deliberated roughly two more hours before settling on the 35-year sentence — well below the maximum of 99 years or life, but far above the under-20-year range that a "sudden passion" finding would have allowed.
Cardi B: 'If Anthony Was White, the Case Would Have Went Different'
Rapper Cardi B blasted the verdict on social media the day after sentencing. She called it "not justice" and accused the system of trying to "make an example" out of a young Black man. She said she doubts Anthony walked alone into "a tent full of strong ass football players" looking for trouble — and argued that adults should have stepped in to de-escalate instead of letting the confrontation go so far.
Cardi B was direct about her view on race. "If Anthony was white and he was surrounded by a whole bunch of Black football players and two twins, the case would have went extremely different," she said, according to Head Topics. She questioned whether racial dynamics shaped how the case was investigated and prosecuted from the start.
No Black Jurors, a Rejected Batson Challenge, and the NAACP's Outrage
Jury selection drew intense scrutiny. Nearly 600 prospective jurors were screened before a final panel of 12 was seated — and not one was Black, despite the defendant being Black. The defense filed a Batson challenge, a legal claim that jurors were struck based on race. Judge John Roach Jr. rejected it, accepting the prosecution's claim that its strikes were race-neutral.
The Collin County NAACP said it was "enraged" by the outcome and raised concerns about fairness and representation in the justice system. First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye pushed back hard on the race framing in closing arguments. "This case has nothing to do with race," he told jurors. "This was an unprovoked, unjustified murder. It is senseless." Austin Metcalf's father echoed that view, saying: "This was never about race. It's about right and wrong."
What Comes Next: An Appeal and a Family Forced to Relocate
Anthony's legal team filed a notice of appeal the day after sentencing. Legal experts have pointed to the rejected Batson challenge and the jury's refusal to apply the "sudden passion" reduction as likely grounds for appeal. Under Texas law, "sudden passion" — acting under immediate fear from an adequate cause — can drop a murder charge from a first-degree felony down to a second-degree felony, capping the sentence at 20 years. The jury rejected that argument entirely.
Outside the courthouse, the case has stirred real danger. A crowdfunding page for the Anthony family said funds would cover "the safe relocation of the Anthony family due to escalating threats to their safety and well-being," along with living costs, counseling, and security. The Metcalf family also reported being targeted by "swatting" calls during the trial. Anthony is eligible for parole after serving 17.5 years of his sentence.
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