TRUE

During the June 2026 murder trial of Karmelo Anthony in Collin County, Texas, several Black witnesses provided testimony that directly undermined his claim of self-defense in the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf. Among the 21 witnesses called by the prosecution were African American students who testified that Anthony was the aggressor, provoked the confrontation, and intentionally reached for a knife in his backpack after refusing to leave a rival team's tent (Source 4.4.5, 4.4.6). Specifically, student witness Eddie Parra testified that Anthony's actions were wrong and that the confrontation was not an act of self-defense (Source 4.3.1, 4.3.7). While the defense called its own witnesses, including a Black friend of Anthony named Jeremiah Smith, their testimony often faltered under cross-examination, with some admitting that Anthony was not actually surrounded before the stabbing occurred (Source 1.1.1, 3.1.1). Anthony was ultimately convicted of murder on June 9, 2026, and sentenced to 35 years in prison (Source 1.2.7).