Felix A

I don’t think Karmelo Anthony meant to kill or even seriously hurt Austin Metcalf. The knife — just like a gun — provides additional courage to its holder. That’s the downside of packing weapons. Supposed to be deterrents, but often lead to more violence than they prevent. I think Karmelo thought, after the verbal warning, he wouldn’t even need to pull it out. Metcalf called his bluff. By then he was all-in, and meant to scratch / poke — but being an amateur, used too much force. Now we’re here. Texas law does not have degrees to murder charges. The intent to injure is why it’s not manslaughter (the other charge option). Self-defense requires equal force to the provocation. The knife usage is hard to mitigate if it’s in response to being pushed. Based on what we know, he should be convicted. Given the climate, he may beat it. We’ll know, I’ll guess, by end of the week. Deliberation won’t take long.

NEW Karmelo Anthony defense witness TESTIMONY PROVES SELF-DEFENSE! Defense: "It was raining hard enough for people to be under tents?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "Eddie called Karmelo over to the tent?"  Witness: "Yes, sir." Defense: "The interaction between Eddie and Melo was friendly?"  Witness: "Yes, sir." Defense: "After Eddie called him over, Melo sat down?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "For about five minutes? Friendly talk? No one expressed a problem with Melo being there?"  Witness: "No." Defense: "Do you recall the first person to say to Melo, 'Who are you?'"  Witness: "Hunter Melcalf." Defense: "Hunter is a big guy?"  Witness: "You could say." Defense: "At the time of the event, Austin was a little bigger?"  Witness: "I'd say substantially bigger." Defense: "So Hunter tells Melo to leave?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "Melo said, 'No one has a problem with me being here besides you?'"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "If you put Melo and Austin next to each other, Melo is smaller?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "Hunter started with a moderate tone, and it got more aggressive?"  Witness: "Yes, sir." Defense: "Do you remember telling the detective, 'You need to move before I beat your a--'?"  Witness: "I don't recall saying that." The defense approaches the witness with papers. The witness agrees that Austin said something like that, or something similar, about wanting to beat his a--. Defense: "Austin is standing up. Melo is still seated?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "That's when Melo reached into his bag, after Austin mentioned something about wanting to beat his a-?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "Austin calls his bluff and says, 'I know you don't have anything in that bag'?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "For Austin to make his way to Melo, he has to move up five rows?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "Austin takes a step or two, and then they talk, and that continues?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "All this time, as Austin is moving closer to Melo, Melo is seated with his hand in the bag, like 'don't come closer to me'?" Witness: "Yes, sir." Defense: "Melo says, 'As long as you don't touch me, we're cool,' or, 'Don't touch me'?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "You told the detective Austin reached up and tapped Karmelo on the shoulder? Melo is still seated?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "There's a touch, and then there's a grab?"  Witness: "Yes." Defense: "He [Austin] grabbed with both hands?"  Witness: "Both of his hands were in motion." Defense: "Austin is reaching for Melo, and at that point, Melo's hand comes out of the bag?"  Witness: "Yes."

Was Karmelo there first, or was Austin there first under the tent? Does Austin own the bleachers where the tent was? Teach your kids they are not in a position of ownership where they have zero ownership of public property.