Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico recently weighed in on teenager Karmelo Anthony's murder conviction, calling it proof that the criminal justice system "is not working for Black Texans." Talarico's comments, made in an interview earlier this month, have received renewed attention as a judge is set to decide on Thursday whether to grant Anthony a new trial. In June, the teen was convicted in the killing of Austin Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco when they were both 17. Anthony, now 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Talarico, who is hoping to be the first Democrat elected to statewide office in Texas in over 30 years, has received criticism from Republicans over his remarks related to the trial. The case has garnered significant national attention, partly because of social media posts that amplified the killing in racial terms. Metcalf was white, Anthony is Black and none of the jurors in his trial were Black, though some were people of color.
Talarico noted the absence of any Black people on the jury during an August 5 appearance on The Breakfast Club radio show. Co-host Charlamagne tha God asked the Texas representative what he had meant when he previously called Anthony's conviction a tragedy. Talarico replied: "I've done a lot of work in the state House on justice reform, and right now we've got a system that doesn't serve all Americans equally, and we know that Black Texans have not gotten the justice they deserve in many cases.
"I'm not an expert on this particular case, but I know that there were no Black members of the jury, and to me, that's the only evidence you need to really prove that this system is not working for Black Texans." Newsweek has contacted Talarico's campaign for comment via email. The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative website, highlighted the state lawmaker's comments in a Wednesday report, promoting criticism from Republicans such as U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas.
"This is nuts," Cruz wrote on X. "Talarico is so extreme that he's glad to side with cold-blooded murderers." Talarico is facing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in one of the country's most closely watched U.S. Senate races, giving Democrats their best chance in years of winning a statewide race in reliably red Texas and boosting their chances of retaking control of the Senate in November's midterm elections.
On April 2, 2025, Metcalf, a 17‑year‑old linebacker at Memorial High School, was fatally stabbed during a weather delay at a Frisco, Texas, track meet. Witnesses told police that Anthony, a Centennial High School athlete, had taken shelter under Memorial's tent and was repeatedly asked to leave. According to the arrest affidavit, Anthony warned students not to touch him and kept a hand in his backpack before Metcalf pushed him.
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