Karmelo Anthony jurors fear for their lives as disturbing trend explodes in retaliation for verdict and they're gagged from speaking publicly

By RACHEL BOWMAN, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 16:38, 11 June 2026 | Updated: 17:00, 11 June 2026 Fears are mounting for the Karmelo Anthony jurors as a disturbing trend goes viral of agitators attacking people across the country and accusing them of being on the jury. Anthony, 19, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 35 years behind bars for fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Texas track meet in 2025. The murder case shocked America, and the discussion surrounding the killing of a white teenager by a black peer quickly became racially fraught.  The verdict prompted fierce backlash from Anthony's supporters who say he was discriminated against because there were no black members of the jury.  Now, a new online trend has emerged: Anthony's supporters approaching unsuspecting people and accusing them of being on the jury. One video posted by a user in Jacksonville, Florida, showed a man on a bike confronting another man who appeared to be homeless, sitting on a sidewalk. The man on the bike said, 'Hey, wasn’t he on jury selection?' before hitting the man on the sidewalk. A woman standing nearby said, 'No, he wasn’t, seriously, no, he wasn’t,' and added, 'He’s a vet, dude.' Karmelo Anthony (pictured), 19, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 35 years behind bars for fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Texas track meet in 2025 One video posted by a user in Jacksonville, Florida, showed a man on a bike confronting another man and accusing him of being on the jury The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office confirmed to the Daily Mail that it is investigating the video. The Daily Mail contacted the video poster for comment. Anthony, who was 17 at the time, claimed he was acting in self-defense when he stabbed Metcalf with a folding knife after a heated argument under a tent. However, after a nearly weeklong trial, the jury deliberated for just three hours and rejected his claim. Less than 24 hours later, Anthony's lawyers have already filed a notice of appeal. Twelve jurors and six alternates, who are mostly white, with the exception of three Hispanics, two Asians, and two from the Middle East and India, were selected to decide Anthony's fate.  During jury selection, defense attorneys raised a Batson challenge, a legal objection used when it is believed potential jurors were struck off because of race, that was rejected by the judge.  Throughout the trial, racially-charged protests erupted outside the courtroom with Anthony supporters declaring the teenager should 'walk free.' Prosecutors eviscerated Anthony's self-defense claim that Metcalf attacked him first with video evidence and eyewitness testimony. Anthony, who was 17 at the time, claimed he was acting in self-defense when he stabbed Metcalf (pictured) with a folding knife after a heated argument under a tent Witnesses who were in the tent described Anthony as the aggressor, testifying that Anthony told Metcalf, 'Touch me and see what happens,' provoking Metcalf to push Anthony, who then pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the chest. Prosecutors said Metcalf's twin brother, Hunter, rushed to his aid as Anthony ran from the scene and later tried to blend into groups of kids who were fleeing the stadium. Anthony sat motionless in court as police body camera footage from April last year showed Hunter pleading for help after the stabbing. Hunter shouted, 'Oh my God. He's my best friend. He's my brother.' He became hysterical as he begged for help and cried out, 'I can't do this.' At one point, Hunter grew incoherent and seemed to be praying out loud. Jurors gasped in horror after being shown never-before-seen photos of Metcalf's punctured heart during the trial . Metcalf was stabbed once in the chest. The knife pierced through his bone in the center of his chest and punctured the right side of his heart, a medical examiner testified. While cross-examining the medical examiner, Anthony's lawyers implied that Metcalf impaled himself on the knife. After his defense lawyers called on six witnesses who offered underwhelming evidence, Anthony opted not to take the stand. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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