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Frisco track meet stabbing suspect's bond reduced to $250,000
The Brief
Frisco track meet stabbing suspect Karmelo Anthony was in court this morning for a bond reduction hearing.
His $1M bond was reduced to $250,000, and he was placed on house arrest.
Karmelo Anthony, 17, is charged with the murder of Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet on April 2.
FRISCO, Texas - Frisco murder suspect, 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, appeared in court Monday morning as his attorneys asked for a reduction in his $1 million bond.
Anthony, 17, was charged with murder after the stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a track meet last week.
Bond Reduction Hearing
The bond reduction hearing began at 9 a.m. with Karmelo Anthony entering the courtroom in a gold jumpsuit, handcuffed and chained.
His father and mother both testified at the hearing.
During the hearing, we learned Karmelo is the oldest child and has three siblings. The family moved to the DFW area in 2021.
He was the captain of the football and track teams, and he had never been arrested before this incident. He has worked at Foot Locker for two years and worked a second job at H-E-B.
Defense Attorney Request:
Anthony's attorneys asked the judge to reduce his bond to $150,000. Defense Attorney Mike Howard said, "Given that Karmelo has no prior criminal history…given that this young man has not been in any sort of trouble before. 1 million dollars is not necessary."
"This family needs to be able to survive. There’s been a tremendous amount of pressure. I think at this point, living in a gated community, given everything, the safety of their younger children is very warranted. Security details and criminal defense are not cheap."
Howard suggested putting Karmelo on an ankle monitor and imposing house arrest to "give this young man a chance to get out of jail and be with his family."
After the bond hearing, Howard addressed the media outside the Collin County Courthouse. He said, "Every Texan deserves the right to defend themselves when they reasonably fear for their life."
"Self defense is a protection that applies to each and every one of us. There are two sides to every story. Karmelo is a 17-year-old kid and an excellent student. He is the captain of his track team and the captain of his football team. This is a tragedy all the way around for both families."
He says his team is confident that after a full investigation, "the truth will come out."
He says this has been a one-sided investigation at this point.
"Bond, as the judge said, is not supposed to be an instrument of oppression, it's not supposed to keep people in jail. It's to ensure someone comes to court," said Howard.
"I know both sides would ask that the temperature on this be allowed to come down," he said.
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