Jurors selected in Karmelo Anthony murder trial. None are Black

Key Points:

• Jury selection for the Karmelo Anthony trial in Collin County concluded Wednesday, with 12 jurors and six alternates chosen to decide the case of the teenager accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco last year.
• Defense attorneys accused prosecutors of improperly striking the only three Black jurors remaining in the pool, but the judge ruled the removal was based on their profession as educators, not race, in accordance with Batson v. Kentucky.
• Prosecutors are expected to focus on holding Anthony responsible if evidence supports murder charges, while the defense plans to argue self-defense, emphasizing Texas law on carrying knives and the right to stand ground rather than retreat.
• The jury pool was large due to the case's high public profile and pretrial publicity, with attorneys using peremptory strikes and challenges for cause to narrow down about 600 summoned residents to the final panel.
• The case has attracted significant national attention and racial tensions, with incidents outside the courthouse including the arrest of far-right influencer Jake Lang for trespassing at the stadium where the stabbing occurred.