The 17-year-old charged in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf at a Frisco, Texas, track meet has had his bond reduced on Monday and was released on house arrest.
A judge in Collin County agreed to lower Karmelo Anthony’s bond from $1 million to $250,000 and has ordered that the teen wear an ankle monitor and stay inside his parents’ home.
Anthony’s bond was posted and he was released on Monday afternoon, according to Fox 4 News. He did not make any statements following his release.
After his release, one of Anthony’s defense attorneys, Mike Howard, suggested the teen would claim self-defense in his upcoming trial.
“Every Texan deserves the right to defend themselves when they reasonably fear for their life,” Howard told the press outside the courthouse. “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.”
On April 2, Anthony was booked into the Collin County Jail after he allegedly stabbed and killed Metcalf, 17, during a track meet.
According to witnesses, Metcalf and Anthony became involved in a verbal confrontation, which ended when Anthony allegedly stabbed Metcalf once in the chest.
Anthony complied with officers, according to an arrest report, and asked police if Metcalf was going to be alright and if his actions would be considered self-defense, CBS News reports.
The teen’s defense attorneys’ first move in court was to have Anthony’s bond reduced.
Anthony’s defense attorneys questioned the teen’s father about his character during a hearing on Monday. His father said that Anthony was an “A” student and was the captain of his football and track teams.
He also told the court that he was the sole provider and could not afford the $1 million bond.
Prosecutors, who did not call any of their own witnesses, questioned Anthony’s father and asked about a separate “assault” case that Anthony was allegedly involved in on February 4.
They also asked why the family hadn’t used donations that came in for their son to pay his bond.
“We don’t have access to the money,” Anthony’s father said.
The defense attorneys clarified that the money raised — $412,000 — was not “a bond fund” and was being used by the parents to pay for their rent and bills as they had to take time off work and hire attorneys to deal with their son’s legal battle.
“This family needs to be able to survive. There’s been a tremendous amount of pressure,” Attorney Mike Howard said. “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.”
Prosecutors asked that Anthony’s $1 million bond remain unchanged, arguing that the hefty bond fee was standard for murder cases in Collin County.
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said that the state would continue to pursue the facts in the case, but noted that the killing had caused heightened emotions in the Texas community.
“We will go where the facts lead us,” he told reporters outside the courthouse. “It is hard for everyone to be level-headed at a time like this. It’s our job to be level-headed, to be fact-based and follow the truth wherever it may lead.”
The judge ruled in the defense’s favor, lowering the bond and establishing the guidelines for his house arrest.
