The murder trial of Karmelo Anthony moved a step closer to a verdict Monday after the defense wrapped up its case without calling the 19-year-old defendant to testify — a decision legal observers say could complicate his claim that he acted in self-defense.
According to the New York Post, Anthony is charged with the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a confrontation at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, in 2025.
His attorneys have argued that he acted in self-defense, but they rested their case without calling him to testify.
That choice could have significant consequences when jurors begin deliberations.
Collin County defense attorney Jeremy Rosenthal said Texas law generally requires a defendant to meet what is known as a “burden of production” before jurors can be instructed to consider self-defense.
“To get a self defense charge you have what tis called a ‘burden of production.’ You have to show through your own evidence that you do not contest the conduct,” Rosenthal said.
Without testimony directly acknowledging the stabbing, Anthony’s legal team may face challenges in securing a self-defense instruction for jurors.
Rosenthal suggested the defense may instead be positioning itself to pursue a lesser charge.
The attorneys could ask the court to allow jurors to consider manslaughter rather than first-degree murder when the case goes to deliberations.
“Those negotiations are probably happening right now,” Rosenthal said.
“Not having Mr. Anthony testify potentially narrows some pathways to acquittal. The right to testify or not is exclusively the defendant’s. The closing argument will tell us if there is a bigger strategy here and exactly what that is.”
Attorney Steve Bassett, who has practiced criminal defense in Texas for more than three decades, said the self-defense argument has always faced challenges.
“I’ve always thought this was a bit of an uphill battle for the defense simply because a knife was introduced into the conflict so quickly,” Bassett said.
“I never read about any testimony that indicated the conflict was particularly intense before the stabbing,” he added.
At the same time, legal experts noted prosecutors also face hurdles in proving first-degree murder.
“It doesn’t sound like [Anthony] went there wanting to kill somebody that day. It was an aggressive, reckless act combined with really bad luck,” Rosenthal said.
Jurors also viewed body-camera footage in which Anthony told an officer, “he put his hands on me” and asked, “is he ok?” after the incident.
The defense is expected to argue that those statements show panic rather than premeditation.
Witnesses previously testified that Anthony had his hand inside a backpack before the confrontation and allegedly told Metcalf, “touch me and find out.”
“When you say ‘touch me and find out,’ you could take that to mean, ‘I will kill you,’” Rosenthal explained.
The case has moved quickly under District Judge John Roach, who has extended court hours and even held a Saturday proceeding.
“Roach is very efficient. He will eat jail food with the inmates over lunch to see how it tastes. He will wear an ankle monitor to see how it hurts,” Rosenthal said.
With closing arguments set to begin Tuesday, a verdict could arrive as soon as Wednesday.
