A Texas judge has reportedly set her social media account to private after reducing the bail for a teenager charged with murder.
Collin County Judge Angela Tucker, of the 199th Judicial District Court, lowered 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony’s bond from $1 million to $250,000 on Monday, as CrimeOnline previously reported.
Tucker, a Republican elected judge, has faced attacks since reducing Anthony’s bond. Critics have circulated her image and personal information across multiple social media accounts, according to DailyMail.
The bail reduction comes after Anthony’s family retained prominent Dallas defense attorney, Mike Howard, to represent him.
“Given that Karmelo has no prior criminal history and given that this young man has not been in any sort of trouble before, $1 million is not necessary,” Howard said. “This family needs to be able to survive. There’s been a tremendous amount of pressure. I think at this point, living in a gated community, given everything, the safety of their younger children is very warranted. Security details and criminal defense are not cheap.”
During Monday’s hearing, Judge Tucker said that “they’ve never had the security issues they’ve faced with this case.”
The prosecution argued that Anthony’s family could have made the initial bail amount once they had access to their funds, questioning the bail hearing in the first place.
“For reasons unknown, the defendant brought a knife to a track meet for what probably could have been a fist fight at worst. [The family] could make this million-dollar bond as soon as they get access to it. I don’t know why we are here,” Collin County First Assistant Bill Wirsky said, according to FOX 4.
Anthony’s family reportedly said that not only do they need the funds for their son’s legal defense, but that “it isn’t as simple as giving a phone call to access it.”
Tucker said Monday that the hearing was to ensure Anthony would return to court for trial, but not an actual trial itself, adding that she didn’t make the decision lightly.
“I don’t take that lightly at all. I take those things very seriously. There is no replacement for the loss of life or the loss of a child. I don’t want the family to think a bond amount is connected to the dignity of loss. You cannot make the person come back.”
Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, was fatally stabbed during a UIL District 11-5A track meet at Kuykendall Stadium. Police said that Anthony, a student from Centennial High School in Frisco, stabbed Metcalf in the chest during a confrontation after Anthony was seated under a tent designated for Memorial High School students.
Anthony reportedly sat under the tent while waiting out a weather delay, when Metcalf told him to leave.
In the arrest report, Anthony claimed to a school resource officer that Metcalf “put his hands” on him during the confrontation.
After police placed him in custody, Anthony reportedly said, “I’m not alleged. I did it.” He later asked if Metcalf would be OK and questioned whether his actions would be considered self-defense.
In addition to house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor, Anthony must check in with a bailiff every week and have no contact with Metcalf’s family.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Austin Metcalf/Memorial High School]
