Karmelo Anthony (Photo via Twitter)
A recent report has stirred controversy by alleging that the family of Karmelo Anthony—the 17-year-old charged with first-degree murd3r in the fatal st@bbing of Austin Metcalf at a Frisco, Texas track meet—is using funds raised on GiveSendGo not only for legal expenses, but also to move into a new home in a gated community and hire security.

Case background:

Karmelo Anthony was released from jail after his bond was reduced from $1 million to $250,000. The family had raised over $412,000 through online donations.
As a condition of his release, Anthony is under house arrest with an ankle monitor and can only leave with the judge’s permission.
The family claims the money is being used for legal defense, private security, and to move to a safer neighborhood after they received racist threats following the incident.

Family’s explanation: Karmelo’s father, Andrew Anthony, st@ted in court that all donated funds are intended for legal defense, security, and relocation to protect the family’s younger children. He emphasized that the money was not used to pay the original $1 million bond.

Defense attorney’s statement: Defense attorney Mike Howard said: “This family needs to be able to survive. There’s been a tremendous amount of pressure. At this point, living in a gated community is warranted for the safety of their children. Security and legal defense are not cheap.”

Public reaction: Some critics argue that using fundraiser money for anything other than legal fees is inappropriate, while others sympathize with the family’s need for safety given the threats they’ve faced.

Case status:

Karmelo Anthony remains under house arrest awaiting trial.
The incident continues to spark heated debate, especially after reports surfaced that Anthony allegedly admitted to the st@bbing and asked if it could be considered self-defense.

Karmelo Anthony Facing An Uphill Battle

Karmelo Anthony, the 17-year-old charged with first-degree murd3r in the fatal st@bbing of a teen at a Frisco track meet earlier this month, might be out of jail, but he still faces an uphill battle.

Anthony walked out of jail silently, but his case is and will remain loud until a verdict is read.

Anthony had been in the Collin County jail since his April 2 arrest for allegedly st@bbing and killing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco ISD track meet.

Witnesses state the st@bbing stemmed from an argument over where Anthony was seated.

While in custody, he allegedly admitted to his actions and asked if what he did would be considered self-defense.