A controversial fundraising campaign for Karmelo Anthony, convicted of murder, has been removed, yet his family will retain the substantial donations collected, as they pledge to “keep fighting.”
Anthony’s relatives initiated a GiveSendGo fundraiser, aiming to raise $1.3 million shortly after he fatally stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf in the heart during a high school track meet in Texas last year.
The case captured nationwide attention, sparking heated discussions, especially as it involved the killing of a white teenager by an African American peer, adding a racial dimension to the discourse.
The then 17-year-old Anthony claimed self-defense, asserting he used a folding knife during a heated confrontation under a tent with Metcalf.
The fundraiser had amassed over $600,000 before being shut down after a jury dismissed Anthony’s self-defense argument. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison on Tuesday, now aged 19.
In response to the verdict, Anthony’s legal team filed an appeal notice on Wednesday, less than a day after his conviction. His parents have publicly expressed concerns, arguing that the trial was not fair.
‘We’re going to keep fighting. We will not stop fighting for justice for my son,’ his mother, Kala Hayes, told radio show The Breakfast Club’s Mimi Brown.
However, GiveSendGo has removed its fundraiser page after the conviction and sent its condolences to the Metcalf family.
The parents of convicted murderer Karmelo Anthony have vowed to keep fighting after their fundraiser seeking $1.3 million for ‘pre-trial needs’ was shut down
Anthony, now 19, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf (above) at a track meet
‘A jury has found Karmelo Anthony guilty in the death of Austin Metcalf. Our hearts are with Austin’s family, his twin brother, and everyone grieving a loss that no verdict can undo,’ the company said in a statement.
‘This fundraiser was created to support pre-trial needs, and those funds were disbursed over the past year for lawful purposes, including legal defense and family relocation.
‘With that stated purpose now complete, the fundraiser has been closed, and the funds will be paid out. Our policy is that a fundraiser’s stated purpose stays accurate so givers always know what they are supporting.’
GiveSendGo also noted that fundraisers on their platform have ‘never been an endorsement of a person, their actions, their legal arguments, or their public statements. It is not a declaration of innocence, and it is not a political statement.’
Many critics were outraged that the Anthony family would keep the money raised despite the guilty verdict.
‘Only in America can you murder someone and make money from this heinous act! Very Sad indeed! What is going on in our country? Murderers getting paid for their crime?’ one person wrote on X.
‘Yeah, you never should have funded his parents’ spending spree in the first place,’ a second person wrote.
Last year, the Daily Mail revealed that the Anthony family relocated to a $900,000 house in an exclusive enclave with a white Chevy Suburban, a black Acura and a third sedan parked in the driveway after allegedly receiving threats at their old home.
His fundraiser raised over $600,000 before it was taken down after a jury rejected his self-defense claims
Anthony’s parents have spoken out, claiming he did not get a fair trial and vowed to ‘keep fighting’
Before the trial started, neighbors in the ritzy community said the family moved out months ago but did not know where they went.
Another critic wrote, ‘Other than unpublishing the donation page, are you also reversing all those donations that were collected back to the original donors?’
‘Disgusting he was allowed to have that up in the first place,’ a fourth person added.
‘Obviously, they didn’t use it on lawyers. Because this kid was given terrible legal advice,’ wrote a fifth.
A sixth person added, ‘So you allowed a murderer and his family to profit from your services?? Wow.’
