Stephen A. Smith has reacted to the conviction of Karmelo Anthony. For those unaware, Karmelo Anthony, 19 years old and a junior at Frisco Centennial High School, was involved in an altercation with Austin Metcalf, 17 years old, who was a junior at the Frisco Memorial High School.
The altercation started when Karmelo Anthony was sitting under a Frisco Memorial High School team tent at the Frisco Independent School District stadium. Metcalf told Anthony to get leave, as per People. Anthony, as per an eye witness statement to the police, here quoted via People‘s article on the matter, reached into his bag, and reportedly said to Metcalf:
“Touch me and see what happens.”
Metcalf, as per the witness statement, proceeded to touch Anthony and grab him, apparently to tell him to move, after which Anthony allegedly pulled out a black knife and stabbed him in the chest, before running away.
Anthony was arrested immediately after the incident by police officers, and Anothony allegedly admitted to Metcalf’s after he was called an alleged suspect by the police, as per the probable cause affidavit viewed by People. Anothony also reportedly also asked whether or not if the incident could be called self-defence.
Surveillance footage from the stadium, as per ABC News, did not show the stabbing, with demonstration required by witnesses during the trial.
Karmelo Anthony was convicted of the murder of Metcalf and sentenced to 35 years in prison. He was indicted on the first-degree murder. Karmelo Anthony filed an appeal soon after his sentence was announced, requesting an court-appointed attorney to represent him in the matter, as per CBS news.
Stephen A. Smith gives his reaction on Karmelo Anthony verdict
Stephen A. Smith, as mentioned above, gave his reaction to the verdict on the Karmelo Anthony case. Smith stated in an episode of Straight Shooter:
“Let me stay for the record and get this out the way right now. I am not happy that Carmelo Anthony got sentenced to 35 years. I’m not happy with the sentencing because I’m not happy with the makeup of the jury. 18 jurors, about six minorities, none of whom happen to be black. I don’t believe that’s being judged by a jury of your peers.”
Stephen A. Smith went on to add that the reality was that’s all he could say about the trial, before adding:
“Here’s the reality, though. That’s all I can say. That is all I can say. Carmelo Anthony murdered Austin Metcalf. There is no other way to slice it.”
Stephen A. Smith went on to talk about the incident itself, pointing out witness reports on Metcalf reportedly saying to Anthony that he did not want to fight him, and questioning how some unarmed shoving justified Carmelo Anthony pulling out a knife and stabbing Metcalf.
Stephen A. Smith subsequently stated:
“I don’t want to see a little black young man going to jail, but I don’t give a damn what your race. I don’t give a damn about what your race or ethnicity is. Just because you’re white and young doesn’t mean you deserve to be murdered. And just because you’re black and young with challenges that black folks face every single day doesn’t give you a license to murder someone.”
Stephen A. Smith then showed reactions of various people in response to the verdict on Anthony, including Representative Jasmine Crockett’s.
He later said that people will not hear him say that Karmelo Anthony did not deserve to be convicted, before pointing out that in a similar case of Caysen Allison, who is not black, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he stabbed Jose Ramirez, 18, to death in a bathroom fight. That incident also took place in Texas.
Stephen A. Smith then pointed out that Allison was not convicted of murder in that case but was instead convicted of criminally negligient homicide, and pointed out the discrepancy in the sentencing in similar cases of Anthony and Allison, adding that the discussion should be about said discrepancy. He also said that the discussion should be about why there was no black person on the jury that judged Karmelo Anthony.
Edited by Soumyajyoti Mukherjee