The Texas youngster Karmelo Anthony who is suspected of fatally stabbing another student at a track meet earlier this month has had his bail amount lowered by Collin County District Judge Angela Tucker
The attorneys of Karmelo Anthony requested that Collin County Judge Angela Tucker lower his bond from $1 million to $150,000 during a hearing on Monday morning. Both Anthony’s mother and father provided testimony as well.
Anthony had been in the Collin County jail since his April 2 arrest for stabbing and killing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco ISD track meet.
“Given that Karmelo has no prior criminal history… given that this young man has not been in any sort of trouble before, $1 million is not necessary,” defence attorney Mike Howard said, according to Fox News. Anthony’s status as the eldest of four children was also disclosed during the hearing.
Who is Collin County, Texas District Judge Angela Tucker who lowered Karmelo Anthony’s bail bond, bio, law school, education and party
The father of suspect Karmelo Anthony testified on his son’s behalf during the court hearing on Monday morning by stating that he had never been in trouble. Anthony’s family claimed that the teenager lacked a passport and that friends and family would be there to hold him responsible before his trial.
Tucker agreed to reduce Anthony’s bond to $250,000 after taking into account the case, Anthony’s age, his lack of criminal history, and whether he poses a flight risk. However, there are still requirements, such as having Anthony check in with a bailiff every Friday and wearing an ankle monitor while under house arrest so the court is always aware of his whereabouts. Anthony will remain in jail until the case is resolved if he breaks the terms of his bond.
Collin County District Judge Angela Tucker reduced Karmelo Anthony’s $1 million bond to $250,000 after Mike Howard Karmelo’s new attorney, argued that the $1 million bond was unnecessary. He said his client has no history of criminal activity and the judge agreed to reduce his bond and hours later, Karmelo posted bond and was released from the Collin County Jail. Upon release, Karmelo was fitted with an ankle monitor and ordered to remain on house arrest until trial and can now only leave his house with prior approval from the court.
Following her key decision to reduce Karmelo Anthony’s bond in Austin Metcalf’s murder, Judge Angela Tucker began receiving threats, resulting in beefed up security and the judge also turned her X account private shortly after the bond reduction hearing.
The Collin County Sheriff’s Office said “court staff and concerned citizens” alerted them to the threats against the judge.
Angela Tucker (Republican Party) is a judge of the Texas 199th District Court and her current term ends on December 31, 2028.
Tucker (Republican Party) ran for re-election for judge of the Texas 199th District Court and won in the general election on November 5, 2024. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her J.D. from Southern Methodist University and at the time of her election to the court, Tucker was a solo practitioner with her own firm, Angela M. Tucker, PC and before that she was an assistant district attorney in Collin County.
She grew up in Sherman, Texas, raised by a single mom and earned a full scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin and finished her degree in just 3.5 years. After graduating from SMU’s Dedman School of Law, she became a Collin County assistant district attorney before running her own law firm for over a decade and in 2012, she made history as the first Black judge in Collin County. Since then, she’s been appointed to the Texas Supreme Court’s Specialty Courts Advisory Council and also the Judicial Advisory Committee.
Karmelo must be supervised by a parent or designated adult at all times. He is also required to check in with the judge’s bailiff every Friday morning. Furthermore, he is prohibited from using social media and cannot contact the family of the alleged victim in any way.
According to Anthony’s lawyer, the bond should be posted on Monday. Without saying anything or answering any questions, Anthony left the Collin County Detention Facility just after 4 p.m. and made his way to a waiting SUV.
“Every Texan has a right to defend themselves when they reasonably fear for their life. Self-defense is a protection that applies to each and every one of us,” said Howard. “There are two sides to every story.”
Howard said that they weren’t yet prepared to deal with the reason his client brought a knife to a track meet.
Following Monday’s hearing, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis stated that the case will be turned over to his office after the Frisco police have completed their investigation. Willis then stated that a Collin County grand jury will hear the case from his office.