The reaction to the murder conviction of Karmelo Anthony was intense and emotional. News of the murder trial outcome for the 19-year-old set some off, while others believed justice was served.
“There’s no winners here. We were talking about that earlier,” Laurie Arnold said. “That’s why it’s not jubilant. You know, it was justice that he was found guilty. I believe that was justice. Am I happy about that? No.”
Arnold and Eddie, her boyfriend, who didn’t want to give his last name, drove in for verdict day. They sat at the front of the Collin County courthouse parking lot with a sign supporting Austin Metcalf.
“Me, my boyfriend, been watching all the trial stuff, you know, on social media, and did not see very many. If any supporters for the Austin Metcalf’s family,” she said.
Eddie said the verdict in the Frisco track meet killing did not make him want to jump up and down.
“It’s murder. I think just it being as unfortunate as it was, something that probably should’ve never happened,” Eddie said. “I mean, I think we can say there was probably mistakes made both ways.”
He also said he didn’t want to see Anthony locked up and thrown away in prison forever, but he did want the 19-year-old to serve time.
“I don’t think the young man should spend the rest of his life in prison,” he said. “I don’t think he needs to get a little slap on the wrist.”
Supporters of Anthony were intensely vocal. The voice of Minister Dominique Alexander of the Next Generation Action Network was one of the loudest, pledging $10,000 toward an appeal in the case.
“Not one Black soul on a jury at all,” Alexander said. “(A)white jury convicted him in 2 to 3 hours. We know that they did not prove their case.”
Tensions were still high in the parking lot. Law enforcement broke up emotional swells from people on both sides. In fact, sheriff’s deputies handcuffed a Black man accused of assaulting another Black man. The alleged suspect was reportedly a supporter of Metcalf.
“All the kids that are— that knew these two boys are devastated by this,” Arnold said. “You’ve got a community that’s now worried about riots and stuff, and it’s dividing our community more. I don’t think there’s any upside to this.”
