Karmelo Anthony supporters outraged that jury for his murder trial has no black members

Family spokesperson Dominique Alexander said that the jury selection indicates that Anthony is "not receiving a fair trial." Anthony has claimed that he acted in self-defense when stabbing the unarmed Metcalf over a disagreement about a seat for a track meet they were attending. He pleaded not guilty.

Alexander has also said that Anthony has been the subject of "racism" and "white supremacy" by those who criticize his killing of Metcalf. In a statement, he said "Today, during jury selection in the Karmelo Anthony trial, we witnessed a deeply troubling development. The prosecution used its final strikes to remove the remaining qualified black jurors from the jury pool."

Local news outlet WFAA reported on the jury selection and remarks made by attorneys. Defense attorney Mike Howard questioned potential jurors, revealing that Anthony does not intend to take the stand in his own defense.

"I am proud to represent Karmelo Anthony," Howard said to potential jurors, revealing that he intended to refer to him by his nickname "Melo" during the trial. "His life is literally going to be in your hands," he said.

Some jurors said they did not believe they could be impartial, saying they "cannot put bias and prejudice aside, cannot unsee or unhear what they’ve heard about this case, cannot give a life sentence, cannot send a young man to prison, and cannot overlook if the defendant chooses not to testify," reports WFAA.

One potential juror was heard to say "I don't know if I feel right putting a brother in jail," while still another cited their religious beliefs as a reason they could not convict toward capital punishment. Another said "He looks like a child. I can't send him to jail. He could learn from his mistake."

Metcalf was killed by Anthony in April 2025. He was only 18-years-old when Anthony pulled a knife on him, surrounded by witnesses, beneath the bleachers at a high school track meet.

Alexander said that he was "outraged" and indicated that Anthony was not getting a fair trial. "The removal of all remaining qualified [b]lack jurors raises serious concerns that cannot and should not be ignored," Alexander wrote.

Savanah Hernandez reported from the Texas courthouse, revealing that the conditions under which reporters are permitted to access the courtroom are extremely tight. No cameras, phones, recording devices, or computers have been permitted inside.

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She also witnessed the jury selection, where potential jurors expressed their concerns and the prosecutor spoke about the race of the victim and assailant. Prosecutor Dewey Mitchell asked potential jurors if the presence of pro-Anthony protesters outside the court would be a problem for them.

"It may affect me," said one juror.

"You don't get to provoke someone then use force," Mitchell told jurors regarding the self-defense claims that will be made by Anthony's team during the trial. He also asked jurors how they feel about the statement "I don't feel comfortable finding an African American male guilty of murder." He also asked them how they felt about the statement "Race will affect my ability to determine guilt or innocence."

The responses of the prospective jurors were not audible. Hernandez said that the final question asked by Howard of the potential jurors "surrounded juror’s thoughts on 'current immigration policy,' with half of the jurors declining to respond, citing their confusion as to how the question was relevant to the case. 12 jurors and 6 alternates were chosen to serve.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect the most current reporting on details from the trial.

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