Nationwide — Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Texas Democrat, has questioned whether the folding knife used in the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf qualified as a deadly weapon. She made the remarks after Karmelo Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison in the case.
According to the Washington Times, Crockett made the comments during a Tuesday episode of her podcast, Clock It with Crockett, which focused on the case involving Karmelo Anthony. While speaking on the livestream, she held her fingers close together to indicate a small object and questioned how the knife should be classified.
She also talked about the weapon’s size during a discussion with guests. One guest described it as a Swiss Army-style multi-tool, and Crockett agreed it appeared small, pointing to features like scissors and other tools.
Court records and testimony presented a different account of the weapon. A school resource officer said police recovered a blood-stained folding knife measuring about 3.5 inches from stadium bleachers after Anthony’s arrest. The officer also testified that Anthony was captured on body camera saying, “I did it. He put his hands on me.”
Witnesses said the confrontation began during a rainy high school track meet at a Memorial High School tent. Austin Metcalf, a junior, asked Anthony, a student from a rival school, to leave the area. The situation escalated after Anthony allegedly warned, “Touch me and see what happens,” before stabbing Metcalf in the chest when Metcalf pushed him. Metcalf later died in his twin brother Hunter’s arms.
Prosecutors said Anthony acted as the aggressor and provoked the confrontation. A Collin County jury convicted him of first-degree murder after deliberating for less than three hours. Jurors also rejected claims that he acted in sudden passion during sentencing. Anthony, who was tried as an adult under Texas law, received a 35-year prison sentence.