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In a Texas murder trial, jurors may convict on the lesser charge of manslaughter in the fatal stabbing of a teenager at a track meet, after judges ruled the option valid. The case hinges on whether the defendant acted knowingly or merely recklessly, with significant sentencing implications.
Jurors in the case of 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony, accused of stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf to death at a regional track meet in Frisco, Texas, on April 2, 2025, will now have the option to consider manslaughter charges in addition to murder, legal reports confirm.
This instruction follows a debate over which lesser included offenses should be presented to the jury. Texas law distinguishes between capital murder and murder but does not have separate degrees of murder like most other states. During a hearing before closing arguments, Anthony's defense attorney objected to the jury instructions not including criminally negligent homicide as a possible verdict.
Prosecutor Bill Wirskye opposed that inclusion, arguing there was no evidence that the defendant was unaware his actions could lead to death. The potential penalties differ sharply: a murder conviction carries a sentence of 5 to 99 years in prison, while manslaughter carries 2 to 20 years. The legal standards also diverge: murder requires proof that the defendant knowingly and willingly caused the death, whereas manslaughter requires proof of reckless causation.
After hearing closing arguments from both sides on Tuesday morning, the jury began deliberating among these options, including the possibility of acquittal
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Karmelo Anthony Austin Metcalf Frisco Stabbing Track Meet Manslaughter Murder Charge Texas Law Jury Deliberation
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