Prosecution rests in Karmelo Anthony trial after student testimony

Prosecutors on Saturday rested their case in the trial of Karmelo Anthony after calling more than 20 witnesses, including several students who offered varying accounts of a fatal stabbing at a Frisco track meet.

The case centers on the moments leading up to the confrontation at David Kuykendall Stadium, where Anthony, now 19, is accused of fatally stabbing another student during a meet when both were 17.

While details differed among the four student witnesses called by the state, prosecutors emphasized that their accounts aligned on a key point: Anthony was the aggressor in the altercation.

Collin County Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye formally rested the state’s case following testimony from the medical examiner, concluding the prosecution’s presentation of evidence.

Anthony’s defense team began presenting its case shortly afterward, calling a 17-year-old student as its first witness. That student testified that the victim’s twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, had interacted with Anthony before the confrontation — a claim that conflicts with earlier testimony from other students.

Defense attorneys argue Anthony acted in self-defense, describing the incident as a split-second decision made under perceived threat. During cross-examination, they sought to highlight inconsistencies in witness accounts, including testimony from a Frisco Memorial High School student who knew Anthony prior to the incident.

The trial, which has drawn national attention and sparked demonstrations, largely hinges on how jurors interpret the conflicting student testimony and whether Anthony’s actions meet the legal standard for self-defense.

If convicted, Anthony could be sentenced to life in prison.

District Judge John Roach Jr. has prohibited media outlets from naming any minors who testified during the trial.

The prosecution did not call Hunter Metcalf to testify.