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Supporters of Karmelo Anthony gather in front of Collin County Courthouse, Monday, June 1, 2026, in McKinney. Anthony is charged in the stabbing death of student-athlete Austin Metcalf at a Frisco ISD track meet last year.<\/p>\n
Chitose Suzuki\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
MCKINNEY \u2014 They stood on opposite sides of the street, one group with a bullhorn and fliers, the other with drums and tambourines. A few hundred feet away, the trial for 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony<\/a> had just begun, drawing protesters who echoed the online chatter that has persisted over the past year.\u00a0<\/p>\n The two sides agreed on little except this: Despite what police say, despite what the victim\u2019s family says, this case is absolutely and undeniably about race.<\/p>\n Anthony is accused of fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf last year at a Frisco track meet. Metcalf was white. Anthony, who said he was defending himself<\/a>, is Black.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The extensive attention the incident received in the press and social media, and the impact it has had on the case<\/a>, was evident Monday in the number of prospective jurors called to report to the Collin County courthouse: 600.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: Karmelo Anthony murder trial begins year after fatal Frisco track meet stabbing<\/a><\/p>\n That\u2019s twice the number summoned for the recent Tanner\u00a0Horner death penalty case in Tarrant County. The former FedEx driver\u2019s case also received substantial publicity.<\/p>\n Strict rules for trial<\/p>\n In opening remarks to prospective jurors Monday, State District Judge John Roach Jr. stressed the importance of remaining unbiased and waiting until a case has concluded before reaching a decision. He also noted the importance of following the law, whether jurors agree with it or not.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Roach said that those who violate his orders could be jailed for contempt of court. “I’m not jacking around,” he said. Members of the media and the public were required to watch from a first-floor ceremonial courtroom while the judge, lawyers and potential jurors are in a separate room for the proceedings.<\/p>\n A \u201cRoad Closed,\u201d sign is seen in front of Collin County Courthouse, Monday, June 1, 2026, in McKinney.<\/p>\n Chitose Suzuki\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Among the instructions he gave the group before dismissing them for the day was a warning not to tell anyone, including family, anything about the case, not even what type of case it is. They also were ordered not to do any independent research or read or watch news reports about it. The rules are standard for jurors but were strongly stressed by the judge.<\/p>\n Roach has also issued a gag order to prevent families, attorneys and representatives from speaking publicly about the case.<\/p>\n The judge instructed the group of prospective jurors to fill out questionnaires before leaving for the day. The attorneys will go over their responses, and the jurors will be notified by Tuesday evening whether they need to come back Wednesday. Roach said they hope to have the returning group whittled down to about 250.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Roach told the group he expects the trial to be completed by June 12. He also plans to have court on Saturdays to move the case along.<\/p>\n Related: The self-defense claim at the center of Karmelo Anthony’s murder trial<\/a><\/p>\n Demonstrations outside the courthouse\u00a0<\/p>\n Authorities have repeatedly said race was not a factor, but those gathered outside the courthouse and in Frisco on Monday said the case revealed deep racial divisions that have sparked bitterness, anger and emotional appeals for justice on both sides.<\/p>\n \u201cSo many of us Black Americans have similar stories of us being bullied or harassed by these people, and when we try to defend ourselves, it’s an issue,\u201d said Brittany Coakley, 27, who drove more than a dozen hours from South Carolina to Collin County to attend the trial. \u201cI understand where he\u2019s coming from, so we\u2019re out here to support him in any way we can.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Like many who gathered outside the courthouse, Coakley learned of the case through social media, where the killing sparked a deluge of misinformation and racism<\/a> over the past year.<\/p>\n Demonstrators gather outside the Collin County Courthouse on Monday, June 1, 2026, where the murder trial for Karmelo Anthony was set to begin. He is accused of killing 17-year-old Austin\u00a0Metcalf at a high school track meet.<\/p>\n Juan Figueroa\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n Russell Womack, who lives in the Houston area, gripped a bullhorn near a sign that read \u201cJustice for Austin Metcalf.<\/a>\u201d Around him, some wore masks to cover their faces. Womack, a member of the white supremacist group National Organization for Vital Action, said he wants to draw attention to what he calls an epidemic of Black-on-white violence.<\/p>\n \u201cIf this story wakes up white people, then a tragic, reluctant martyr Austin will have to be,\u201d Womack, 39, said. \u201cWe will not forget you, Austin.\u201d<\/p>\n The trial comes 13 months after Metcalf was stabbed and killed during a weather delay at Frisco\u2019s David Kuykendall Stadium. Anthony, then a senior at Frisco Centennial, took cover under a tent designated for rival high school, Memorial, and Metcalf told him to move, witnesses said.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Their confrontation escalated, and Anthony pulled out a knife from his backpack and stabbed him, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Metcalf died in the arms of his twin brother, Hunter<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Anthony was arrested minutes later and told police through tears that he was defending himself<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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