Rising Tensions: Jurors in Karmelo Anthony Case Express Safety Concerns Over Retaliation Fears

Concerns are escalating for the jurors involved in the Karmelo Anthony trial as a troubling trend has emerged nationwide. Individuals are being accosted and falsely accused of serving on the jury.

Nineteen-year-old Anthony was convicted of murder and received a 35-year prison sentence for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a track meet in Texas in 2025.

The case captivated the nation, stirring intense discussions due to its racially charged dynamics after a black teenager was convicted of killing a white peer.

The jury’s decision sparked significant backlash from Anthony’s advocates, who argue the verdict was biased because the jury lacked black representation.

Recently, a viral trend has taken off where Anthony’s supporters confront random individuals, accusing them of being jurors in the trial.

A video circulating online from Jacksonville, Florida, depicts a man on a bicycle confronting another man, who appears to be homeless, with accusations of jury involvement.

The man on the bike said, ‘Hey, wasn’t he on jury selection?’ before hitting the man on the sidewalk.

A woman standing nearby said, ‘No, he wasn’t, seriously, no, he wasn’t,’ and added, ‘He’s a vet, dude.’

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office confirmed to the Daily Mail that it is investigating the video.

The Daily Mail contacted the video poster for comment.

Anthony, who was 17 at the time, claimed he was acting in self-defense when he stabbed Metcalf with a folding knife after a heated argument under a tent.

However, after a nearly weeklong trial, the jury deliberated for just three hours and rejected his claim. Less than 24 hours later, Anthony’s lawyers have already filed a notice of appeal.

Twelve jurors and six alternates, who are mostly white, with the exception of three Hispanics, two Asians, and two from the Middle East and India, were selected to decide Anthony’s fate. 

During jury selection, defense attorneys raised a Batson challenge, a legal objection used when it is believed potential jurors were struck off because of race, that was rejected by the judge. 

Throughout the trial, racially-charged protests erupted outside the courtroom with Anthony supporters declaring the teenager should ‘walk free.’

Prosecutors eviscerated Anthony’s self-defense claim that Metcalf attacked him first with video evidence and eyewitness testimony.

Anthony, who was 17 at the time, claimed he was acting in self-defense when he stabbed Metcalf (pictured) with a folding knife after a heated argument under a tent

Witnesses who were in the tent described Anthony as the aggressor, testifying that Anthony told Metcalf, ‘Touch me and see what happens,’ provoking Metcalf to push Anthony, who then pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the chest.

Prosecutors said Metcalf’s twin brother, Hunter, rushed to his aid as Anthony ran from the scene and later tried to blend into groups of kids who were fleeing the stadium.

Anthony sat motionless in court as police body camera footage from April last year showed Hunter pleading for help after the stabbing.

Hunter shouted, ‘Oh my God. He’s my best friend. He’s my brother.’

He became hysterical as he begged for help and cried out, ‘I can’t do this.’

At one point, Hunter grew incoherent and seemed to be praying out loud.

Jurors gasped in horror after being shown never-before-seen photos of Metcalf’s punctured heart during the trial .

Metcalf was stabbed once in the chest. The knife pierced through his bone in the center of his chest and punctured the right side of his heart, a medical examiner testified.

While cross-examining the medical examiner, Anthony’s lawyers implied that Metcalf impaled himself on the knife.

After his defense lawyers called on six witnesses who offered underwhelming evidence, Anthony opted not to take the stand.