‘My Son Is No Murderer’

The sentence had barely been read when Kala Hayes sat down before the cameras.

Fighting back tears, the mother of Karmelo Anthony — the 19-year-old sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of Austin Metcalf — delivered a message she has been holding since the moment her son was arrested.

“My son is no murderer,” she said. “My son didn’t intend to hurt anyone. My son was defending himself. And that’s what hurts so bad.”

Beside her, Andrew Anthony — Karmelo’s father — was equally unsparing.

“We were delusional,” he said. “We thought we was going to get a fair shake. We didn’t get justice.”

‘Everyone Lied on the Stand’

In an exclusive interview with CBS News Texas, the parents leveled a stunning accusation against every witness who took the stand during their son’s trial.

“Everyone actually lied on the stand,” Andrew Anthony claimed. “Everyone. All of the witness statements were inconsistent. All of them.”

The prosecution called more than 20 witnesses — many of them teenagers who had been present at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2, 2025. They testified consistently that Anthony was asked to leave the Memorial High School tent at least 15 times, that he warned “touch me and find out,” and that he had his hand inside his backpack before the confrontation escalated.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours before returning a guilty verdict.

‘He Was Already Convicted’

The parents also argued that their son never had a chance — that the trial was decided long before it began.

“He was convicted when he walked out of the jail,” Andrew Anthony said. “If you looked at the news — all that — he was already convicted. It was no innocent until proven guilty. He was already guilty.”

The case had drawn national attention for more than a year, fueled by social media campaigns, competing fundraisers, and protests outside the courthouse. Supporters raised over $600,000 for Anthony’s legal defense.

But the jury — which the family and defense attorneys noted contained no Black members despite Batson challenges during selection — ultimately rejected the self-defense claim.

A Mother’s Plea That Wasn’t Enough

Hayes was the only witness called by the defense during the sentencing phase.

“To have mercy on my son — that’s what I told the jury,” she said. “I know they had their minds made up already. There really wasn’t much I could say to change their minds.”

The jury sentenced Anthony to 35 years — more than double what his attorneys had sought, but less than the 99-year maximum.

Death Threats and What Comes Next

In the aftermath of the verdict, the Anthony family says the harassment has not slowed.

“People want us dead,” Andrew Anthony said. “After they still got what they wanted, they still want our family dead.”

The family has filed a notice of appeal, expected to focus on the racial composition of the jury and the removal of Black prospective jurors during selection.

“We’re gonna keep fighting,” Hayes said. “Because at the end of the day, that’s our baby.”

Across town, Jeff Metcalf — Austin’s father — has chosen a different path.

“I forgave him,” Metcalf said quietly. “Forgiveness is not for him. Forgiveness was for me, so I don’t carry the rage and the hate around. It will eat me up like cancer.”

Austin will never walk through that door again.

And for both families, no verdict changes that.

Source: Compiled from various sources