(NewsNation) — Texas teen Karmelo Anthony, who is accused of stabbing Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet, will be able to graduate from high school.
Frisco Independent School District on Tuesday decided Anthony, 17, can graduate from Centennial High School despite his first-degree murder charge, Anthony’s family representative Dominque Alexander told The Daily Mail.
However, the school district determined that Anthony cannot walk across the stage or participate in the graduation ceremony.
Karmelo Anthony’s representative says family claims his innocence
Alexander said last week that Anthony’s family believes their son is innocent, and they intend to stand by him as he plans to present a self-defense claim.
When he was arrested, Anthony asked officers if his actions could be considered self-defense, authorities said. Under Texas law, weapons are permitted on school grounds.
Alexander acknowledged that the cause of Anthony’s possessing the knife would be “answered in a court of law and jury.”
Criminal defense and lawyer explain self-defense in Anthony case
Criminal defense attorney Mark O’Mara and lawyer Alan Dershowitz spoke with Chris Cuomo last month to discuss the case.
O’Mara argued that the Anthony-Metcalf case is self-defense-based “because it always is one until you look at the facts of the case and compare the two.”
Dershowitz pointed out that the case is being judged by race.
“Let’s not kid ourselves. We live in a race-conscious society,” he said. “At the end of the day, who is selected for the jury will determine the outcome of Anthony’s case.
Austin Metcalf’s father reacts to Anthony’s family representative’s comments
The Anthony family held a news conference back in April, which drew blowback from Jeffrey Metcalf, Austin’s father.
“I believe the Anthony family feels that, yes, Karmelo Anthony is innocent of this, and they are going to support Karmelo Anthony in this entire process and get him prepared,” Metcalf told NewsNation.
Metcalf was asked to leave the news conference several times after he “arrived uninvited,” according to Alexander.
“He was not part of the event and was not welcomed,” Alexander said in a statement on X.
Karmelo Anthony moved to new location amid death threats
In late April, the courts approved moving Anthony from his home to an undisclosed location for his immediate safety, the Next Generation Action Network said.
The nonprofit acknowledged that Anthony and his family had received an “alarming increase in death threats, continued harassment, and physical intimidation targeted” at their home.
Anthony was released from jail and put on house arrest shortly after his bond was reduced to $250,000 from $1 million.
What is Karmelo Anthony accused of?
Back on April 2, police say Anthony and 17-year-old Austin Metcalf were at a track meet when Metcalf told Anthony he needed to get out from under the team’s tent.
The police report states that Metcalf then grabbed Anthony and told him to move. Anthony allegedly pulled out a knife, stabbed Metcalf once in the chest and ran. Metcalf allegedly died in his twin brother’s arms.
“He was a leader of men. Voted team MPV this season and carried a 4.0 GPA. We will all remember him for the way he impacted others’ lives. I love you forever, son. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later,” Jeff Metcalf said.
Anthony was arrested and charged with Metcalf’s murder.