by Kevin Killough
The family of slain high school athlete Austin Metcalf have been receiving dozens of hateful messages and death threats after Karmelo Anthony was convicted earlier this week of murdering him.
The messages include statements that Anthony should have also murdered Metcalf’s brother, Hunter, according to TMZ, citing unnamed sources.
Hunter was present during the altercation that preceded his brother getting stabbed and had been the one to first tell Anthony to leave the tent at the high school track meet, where Anthony wasn’t supposed to be. Austin intervened when Anthony refused.
Another message allegedly sent to the family said that Austin “f–ked around and found out.” Other messages threatened to show up at the family’s home or soil Metcalf’s grave.
A Texas jury on Tuesday sentenced 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison for the murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at the high school event last year.
Anthony’s defense argued that he acted in self-defense.
After Anthony was found guilty, a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter in Collin County, Texas, expressed its disapproval.
“The Collin County NAACP is outraged by the verdict in the Carmelo Anthony case and the questions it raises regarding fairness, representation, and confidence in our justice system,” the chapter said.
“The tragic loss of life demanded accountability, but a murder conviction in this case is deeply troubling and reinforces concerns about unequal treatment of black defendants within our justice system,” it added.
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Kevin Killough is a reporter for Just the News.  Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
