Judge Tony Graf Jr. denied a request from Erika Kirk and her late husband&#8217;s parents, saying that he would not display in open court all of the evidence in the assassination of the late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Graf said that the court would weigh evidence on a case-by-case basis and that only some would be displayed in the gallery for all of those present at the hearing.
&#8220;The court has considered the request that exhibits be displayed in real time to the courtroom. After careful consideration, the court determines that not all exhibits will be visually displayed to the gallery and notes that it will use a tiered method as described first, whether it will be admitted to the court for consideration as it relates to probable cause. Second, whether it will be displayed only to the gallery, and third, if it will be published through the camera, to the public at large,&#8221; Graf said.
In a win for the Kirk family and the prosecution, Graf also agreed that several key pieces of evidence — specifically text messages and Discord messages — could be released to the public, despite objections from the defense.
As the preliminary hearings continue for Tyler Robinson, the man accused of murdering Kirk last September at Utah Valley University, the Kirks submitted a filing through attorneys on Thursday. In it, they claimed that the victims of crimes — in addition to being allowed to be present in the courtroom during proceedings — should be allowed to see the evidence presented in open court.
&#8220;The Victim&#8217;s Family&#8217;s position is simple. At a minimum, every exhibit entered into evidence during the preliminary hearing must be visible to every person lawfully present in the courtroom,&#8221; the court filing read, noting that the family had waited months for the hearing to begin — and then, upon their arrival, found that they&#8217;d be unable to view some of the evidence.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/live-tyler-robinson-preliminary-hearing-day-4?contentProgram=Daily%20Wire%20News&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel">WATCH: Tyler Robinson Preliminary Hearing</a>
&#8220;To receive evidence in a manner shielded from those seated in the courtroom — as happened today — is not transparency. And in the absence of transparency, speculation and conspiracy theories related to the tragic assassination of Mr. Kirk will continue to proliferate in the public domain, breeding doubt and distrust in the judicial system. This is not what anyone should want.&#8221;
The filing went on to argue that the family&#8217;s guaranteed right to be present in the courtroom and to observe the court proceedings carried no real weight if they were not also able to see the evidence that was being presented.
&#8220;The right &#8216;to be present&#8217; is hollow if the victim or his representative is physically in the room but is prevented from seeing the evidence the Court is receiving. A right to attend that does not include the ability to perceive what is happening is not meaningful presence at all,&#8221; the filing explained.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Erika Kirk&#8217;s attorney claims in a new court filing that after waiting ten months for the preliminary hearing, Erika and Charlie Kirk&#8217;s parents have been denied the ability to meaningfully observe evidence in court <a href="https://t.co/YfBTsaQ0s6">pic.twitter.com/YfBTsaQ0s6</a>
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) <a href="https://x.com/MattFinnFNC/status/2075195265464856977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
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JD Vance Speaks At Turning Point Tour Event At Ole Miss

Judge Issues Decision On Erika Kirk’s Demand For More Transparency In Court

Judge Denies Erika Kirk's Request, Will Not Display All Evidence In Open Court

Charlie Kirk

Court

Erika Kirk

Murder

A quiet corner of Ireland&#8217;s postcard-perfect Killarney has been thrown into chaos after an American mom — who expressed hard-Left views — was found <a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0709/1582500-jamey-carney-ireland/">bludgeoned to death</a> in her rented home, and her apparent Muslim lover allegedly skipped the country.
Jamey Carney, 43, a New York native who traded the Hudson Valley for the emerald hills of County Kerry back in 2021 and had “Free Palestine” and “F*ck ICE” heading her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carney_jamey/">Instagram page</a>, was discovered dead last Tuesday afternoon by a horrified relative who came to check on her. Gardaí, the Irish national police force, say she was bludgeoned in the head sometime between Monday night and early Tuesday morning in the very bedroom where she&#8217;d once posted photos gushing about her dream mountain view.
Carney, who worked for a healthcare company in nearby Tralee and raised her 13-year-old daughter alone after her <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2026/07/09/main-suspect-in-killarney-murder-inquiry-believed-to-have-fled-ireland/">father died</a> less than a year ago, was by all accounts beloved locally — active in community groups, sports leagues and, notably, pro-Palestinian activism.
But the man investigators are desperate to find is believed to be thousands of miles away. Gardaí say the person of interest — a Middle Eastern national in his late 20s or early 30s who reportedly first landed in France before settling in Ireland as an asylum seeker — hopped a bus out of Killarney hours before Carney&#8217;s body was even found, then boarded a Dublin Airport flight bound for Turkey. Whether he continued on to his home country is still being pieced together, with Interpol and European authorities now in the loop.
The man&#8217;s name has not yet been publicly released.
Reports suggest the mother&#8217;s lover had occasionally stayed at her home and that neighbors <a href="https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41876342.html">overheard</a> a heated argument the night before her death. He&#8217;s officially been labeled a &#8220;person of significant interest&#8221; — cop-speak for a person they very much want in an interview room.
Complicating matters: Irish extradition law bars authorities from hauling a suspect back purely for questioning. He&#8217;d first need to be formally charged, meaning prosecutors face a legal maze even if he&#8217;s tracked down.
The case has already ignited political sparks. Irish officials, wary of the optics given the suspect&#8217;s origin, have voiced concern; and online chatter has already zeroed in on Carney&#8217;s activism.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Jamey Carney from New York State, moved to Ireland with her kid. 
Started dating Ahmad Al-Saqar, a &quot;refugee&quot; from Jordan. 
She wore Keffiyeh, was pro pally, hated ICE, apparently converted.
The inevitable happened. 
Her child found her dead.
The &quot;refugee&quot; is on the run. <a href="https://t.co/ZPcEXYnNJG">pic.twitter.com/ZPcEXYnNJG</a>
&mdash; Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) <a href="https://x.com/TRobinsonNewEra/status/2075170650428219607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Jamey Carney, Pro-Palestinian protest

A Mother’s Brutal Murder Is Fueling A Global Immigration Reckoning

Immigrants

Ireland

Leftist

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) didn&#8217;t mince words after a screaming match on Capitol Hill Tuesday — branding Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin and Pramila Jayapal &#8220;f*cking a**holes&#8221; in the hallway outside a House Judiciary hearing on sanctuary cities, and doubling down that the pair deserved every syllable of it.
The New York Republican&#8217;s fury erupted after Jayapal and Raskin used their opening statements to gripe about sitting through a &#8220;fourth&#8221; hearing on sanctuary policies — moments before grieving mother Jessica Gorman was set to testify about her daughter Sheridan, murdered in Chicago by an illegal immigrant.
&#8220;We&#8217;re sorry for your loss, but &#8230;&#8221; is how Lawler <a href="https://x.com/TMZ/status/2072063340038242467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2072063340038242467%7Ctwgr%5E57959a7cd992bd2b4acad89c96074ca6fa7a7dca%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fmedia%2Ftv%2Fmike-lawler-brands-democratic-lawmakers-fcking-aholes-after-explosive-hearing-fight%2F">summed up</a> the Democrats&#8217; posture in an interview with TMZ afterward. &#8220;There&#8217;s no &#8216;but.&#8217; Sanctuary policies are the reason their daughter is dead.&#8221;
The shouting match itself was pure cable-news chaos. When Lawler pressed his colleagues on whether they felt the same outrage over Sheridan Gorman and Laken Riley that they&#8217;ve expressed for other victims, Raskin snapped back that he did feel the outrage — only for Lawler to fire back that he didn&#8217;t, &#8220;because if you did, you would not support sanctuary jurisdiction.&#8221;
Raskin&#8217;s response? &#8220;You don&#8217;t belong in this committee. You should get the hell out of here.&#8221;
Lawler wasn&#8217;t backing down. &#8220;You&#8217;re a disgrace,&#8221; he shot back, prompting Raskin to lecture him that he didn&#8217;t &#8220;understand the rules of the committee&#8221; or &#8220;the Constitution.&#8221;
Lawler said afterward, &#8220;Jamie Raskin and Pramila Jayapal are f*cking a**holes. Their conduct in that hearing was disgraceful. I&#8217;m introducing my constituents. They lost their daughter. I&#8217;m telling their story. And the tragedy that they&#8217;ve had to endure because my colleagues refuse, refuse to cooperate when it comes to enforcing our immigration laws, holding criminals accountable.&#8221;
He pointed out the Democrats&#8217; irritation at rehashing sanctuary-city policy said everything about their priorities. He noted Jayapal had opened by complaining this was the committee&#8217;s fourth hearing on the subject — a gripe Lawler said rang hollow given the body count.
&#8220;These folks shut down the Department of Homeland Security for 118 days,&#8221; Lawler told TMZ, blasting his colleagues for refusing &#8220;to fund ICE, refused to fund Customs and Border Patrol&#8221; during that stretch. &#8220;They refused to enforce federal law.&#8221;
He saved particular scorn for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul:
<blockquote>
You have the governor of New York — a complete a**hole, who decides that she&#8217;s going to ban the ability of state and local police from cooperating with federal law enforcement on the issue of immigration   enforcement and specifically honoring detainer requests and specifically turning over people who are in New York&#8217;s jails for committing crimes under state law; refusing to cooperate and turn them over to federal immigration officials. So I don&#8217;t want to hear anything from any of them.  They are so full of s***, it&#8217;s not even funny. 
And you guys may well think this is like a joke. I have a constituent who is dead because of these policies and because they refuse to listen. They had the gall to come in there. They showed up late to begin with, but then they had the gall to dismiss why these Angel families are here?
</blockquote>
Lawler also turned the tables on Democrats over the recent deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota — invoking the case to argue his colleagues&#8217; selective outrage was the real scandal. &#8220;You had two people that should be alive,&#8221; Lawler said, arguing local police were &#8220;prohibited from engaging in crowd control and traffic control by the feckless politicians that refused to enforce the law.&#8221; His point: the same hands-off approach Democrats defend in immigration enforcement created chaos on the ground in Minnesota too.
&#8220;When you refuse to address the fundamental flaws in policy that result in the deaths of innocent Americans, then yes, there is a fundamental problem,&#8221; Lawler said. &#8220;And that&#8217;s what they deserve.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
😳 Rep. Lawler tells <a href="https://x.com/jacob_wass?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jacob_wass</a> that Raskin, Jayapal, and Hochul are &quot;f**king assholes&quot; for sanctuary city policies. <a href="https://t.co/8YRukzgmT8">pic.twitter.com/8YRukzgmT8</a>
&mdash; TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://x.com/TMZ/status/2072063340038242467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2026</a></blockquote>
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President Trump Campaigns With Congressman Mike Lawler In New York

‘F*cking A**holes’: Lawler Goes Scorched-Earth On Dem Lawmakers Over Sanctuary Cities

illegal immigrants

Jamie Raskin

Mike Lawler

Pramila Jayapal

Sanctuary Cities

An attorney who&#8217;s working on Karmelo Anthony&#8217;s appellate team just publicly dissed the convicted murderer&#8217;s parents and supporters, seemingly outlining the team&#8217;s appeal strategy.
In a post published to social media, attorney Justin Moore ripped Anthony&#8217;s parents for mocking the father of victim Austin Metcalf, 17, and for going on a &#8220;press tour&#8221; to tout a false racial narrative.
“[Thirty-five] years,&#8221; Moore posted online, referring to Anthony&#8217;s prison sentence. &#8220;They showed no mercy. Kinda hard to when the defendant&#8217;s parents had a press conference mocking the dead victim’s father right after the incident.&#8221;
Following the murder, Jeff Metcalf, the victim&#8217;s father, was thrown out of an Anthony family presser when he asked to speak to the family and possibly pray with them. He was effectively painted as a racist.
&#8220;Y’all non lawyers can argue about if he were guilty or not,&#8221; Moore continued. &#8220;Most real lawyers realize this was a punishment case. With that being the case, you simply don’t run around going on a press tour touting a false narrative. I’m pissed.&#8221;
&#8220;And it’s the people that were around Karmelo who sold this story to folks. Trying to sell racism for personal gain,&#8221; he added. Notably, the Anthony family raised well over $600,000 through a GiveSendGo fundraiser that was launched soon after Metcalf was murdered. &#8220;Y’all really showed out this time,&#8221; Moore said.
The social media post was reported by independent journalist Sarah Fields, who was inside the courtroom for the entire murder trial.
&#8220;Extremely interesting statement from Justin Moore, a member of Karmelo Anthony’s legal team,&#8221; Fields commented. &#8220;They have virtually no chance on appeal.&#8221;
&#8220;What I find most interesting is that even Karmelo’s own legal team seems to be throwing his parents under the bus,&#8221; she added. &#8220;When the people closest to the case start pointing fingers internally, that should tell you everything you need to know.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Extremely interesting statement from Justin Moore, a member of Karmelo Anthony’s legal team.
They have virtually no chance on appeal. What I find most interesting is that even Karmelo’s own legal team seems to be throwing his parents under the bus.
When the people closest to… <a href="https://t.co/nNTYdUDGSJ">pic.twitter.com/nNTYdUDGSJ</a>
— Sarah Fields (@SarahisCensored) <a href="https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/2069625091969724796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
<a href="https://x.com/douglassmackey/status/2069830842101174681">Douglass Mackey</a> — who was targeted by the Biden Department of Justice for posting satirical memes about Hillary Clinton and won in court — said the comments from Moore reveal the legal team&#8217;s new strategy.
&#8220;The new appellate lawyer has now officially thrown Karmelo Anthony&#8217;s parents and his supporters under the bus,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;The goal seems to be to try to make Karmelo Anthony more sympathetic to win a new sentence on appeal.&#8221;
Jeff Metcalf, the slain teen&#8217;s father, publicly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austin-metcalfs-father-snaps-on-karmelo-anthonys-parents">called</a> Anthony&#8217;s parents, Andrew Anthony and Kayla Hayes, “cowards&#8221; soon after the trial.
“Drew Anthony. Kayla. You’re cowards,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austin-metcalfs-father-snaps-on-karmelo-anthonys-parents">said</a>. &#8220;You wouldn’t even show up for your son’s sentencing or victim’s statement impacts. You abandoned your kid. You left him there.&#8221;
&#8220;I guess he’s no more use to you because you can’t get any more GoFundMe money or [GiveSendGo] money,&#8221; he added. &#8220;You are grifters. You should be ashamed of yourself. You raised that child, and I swear to God, CPS should come check on those other three that you still have.”
Metcalf was fatally stabbed by Anthony at a track meet in April 2025. Video footage and eyewitness accounts indicate that Metcalf was stabbed after he told Anthony to leave his team&#8217;s tent and possibly shoved him. Metcalf died in his twin brother&#8217;s arms.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-latest-development-in-karmelo-anthonys-case-comes-with-baggage">The Latest Development In Karmelo Anthony’s Case Comes With Baggage</a>

KAnthony

Karmelo Anthony’s New Appeal Strategy Takes Aim At His Own Inner Circle

Austin Metcalf

Courts

Karmelo Anthony

Racism

A trove of evidence — including a number of gruesome photos and videos and audio from 911 calls — from the Karmelo Anthony murder trial was released on Friday.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/m2SwOTQusOM00QILQWtUf7ydklAGx6Y01b?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=debbe871-73a2-41cd-ad69-61b7f8c5660d&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-6-19%20Listen%3A%20911%20call%20Karmelo%20Anthony%20Austin%20Metcalf%20&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fb00a88e0-3c75-448e-82c1-1b24129f1fda.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
The Collin County court released photos from the autopsy of football player Austin Metcalf, 17 — who was stabbed to death by Anthony at a track meet in Texas — showing the knife wound in his chest with a forensic ruler beside it. Other photos showed the murder weapon, Anthony&#8217;s backpack, and a blood-soaked jacket that had been used as a coach attempted to stop the bleeding.  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/ss3DQJnwQqSQoV9czPzZ801QF1v002daT2?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=46618119-b4c7-4f8d-a7de-2c9bf93ee754&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-6-19%20Karmelo%20Anthony%20Austin%20Metcalf%20evidence%20photos%20&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F5db6f84f-dd7a-4b40-bc06-265e85e5a7c1.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Also included was a screenshot of a text message from the coach to Metcalf prior to the track meet: &#8220;You and Rhett are on early bus. Get tent, and whatever else we need. Set examples of how to conduct yourself today. Be a leader. I need you and Rhett to hold us down. I will be helping with hosting the meet, so I&#8217;m going to lean on my older guys.&#8221;
Metcalf&#8217;s quick reply: &#8220;for sure coach gotchu.&#8221;
The coach&#8217;s next text came the day after the murder, sent to Metcalf&#8217;s phone despite the fact that he would never see it. &#8220;Love you man. Sorry I didn&#8217;t say enough,&#8221; he said.
<div id="attachment_1120005" style="width: 618px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1120005" class="wp-image-1120005 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-19-at-7.37.24-PM-608x576.jpg" alt="Collin County Courthouse" width="608" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-19-at-7.37.24-PM-608x576.jpg 608w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-19-at-7.37.24-PM-300x284.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-19-at-7.37.24-PM-768x728.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-19-at-7.37.24-PM.jpg 1014w" sizes=" (max-width: 608px) 100vw, 608px" />Collin County Courthouse</div>
The tranche of evidence also included video of the activity around the tent in the moments leading up to the murder as well as body cam footage from police officers as they went to arrest Anthony — including one in which Anthony could be heard declaring, &#8220;I&#8217;m not alleged. I did it.&#8221;
Video also showed Anthony, wearing a hoodie emblazoned with the words &#8220;fear of God,&#8221; crying as he was taken into custody by police and searched.
&#8220;He put his hands on me,&#8221; Anthony cried, apparently referring to Metcalf. &#8220;I told him not to, he put his hands on me.&#8221;
Police searched him again before putting him in a vehicle, asking him first whether or not he was carrying anything that could hurt them while they searched his pockets.  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/cFupKy202f8L18rwMe89GQ12pVVamCrO3?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=3a179ad0-bacb-400f-b0ea-8a9b236e023a&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-6-19%20Karmelo%20Anthony%20cries%20during%20arrest%20&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F624d16df-32cd-4f10-96b5-56fc6f9f5d71.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Audio from multiple 911 calls were also released on Friday. On one, someone could be heard saying, &#8220;My friend’s bleeding everywhere&#8221; as another voice in the background said, &#8220;Fight through, fight through!&#8221; Another caller, identified as &#8220;Mason,&#8221; told dispatchers, &#8220;You need to send an ambulance right now,&#8221; and said, &#8220;My friend just got stabbed.&#8221; Callers informed the dispatcher that, at the time, Metcalf was unconscious but still breathing.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-latest-move-in-karmelo-anthonys-case">Anthony</a> was convicted and sentenced to serve 35 years in prison for the murder — and his attorneys almost immediately filed his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karmelo-anthony-whines-from-prison-about-something-he-no-longer-has-to-worry-about">intent to appeal</a> the conviction. In preparation for that appeal, Anthony&#8217;s family retained a new attorney.
Since the trial, Anthony&#8217;s family members and others have falsely claimed that the jury was &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-race-card-karmelo-anthonys-father-is-playing-gets-scorched-by-facts">all white</a>&#8221; and thus not truly the &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-flaw-in-a-professors-race-based-defense-of-karmelo-anthony">jury of his peers</a>&#8221; the justice system is supposed to provide.

IMG_4280

Treasure Trove Of Evidence In Karmelo Anthony Case Released

Crime

Convicted murderer Karmelo Anthony has a new lawyer representing his appeal, according to court records. 
Anthony, who was convicted this month for fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, will now be represented by court-appointed lawyer Lara Bracamonte Davila, Collin County Court records <a href="https://cijspub.co.collin.tx.us/PublicAccess/CaseDetail.aspx?CaseID=2546749">show</a>. Anthony is currently behind bars after a jury sentenced him to 35 years in prison for murdering Metcalf at a track event in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025. 
Fox News first <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/another-lawyer-joins-karmelo-anthony-appeal-killer-claims-cannot-pay-counsel">reported</a> the news that Bracamonte Davila had been appointed to take over the appeal process. Before Bracamonte Davila was appointed, criminal defense attorney Donny Perales represented Anthony for a short time. 
&#8220;It is expected that the Anthony family will be retaining an attorney for the appeal,” Perales told Fox News. 
Bracamonte Davila describes herself as a lawyer who is “compassionate but tough.” 
“There are many people who don’t have the courage, strength, or knowledge of how to stand up for themselves,” her <a href="https://www.bracamontelawfirm.com/">website</a> says. “I strive to be the voice for the voiceless, whether that’s a teen in trouble, a woman in an abusive situation, a father struggling to gain parental rights, or any individual charged with a crime.”
If someone is found guilty, she says her job is “to ensure the punishment doesn’t exceed the crime.”
One day after a jury sentenced him to prison, Anthony filed a notice of appeal. The filing begins the formal process of challenging both his conviction and sentence, which can take years to progress through the courts and does not guarantee a new trial.
Anthony’s parents have falsely claimed that the jury that sentenced their son was “all white” and blamed racism for the outcome. Kayla Hayes, Anthony’s mother, also claimed that her son was just defending himself when he stabbed the unarmed Metcalf. 
“My son is no murderer. My son didn’t intend to hurt anyone,” Hayes said. “My son was defending himself, and that’s what hurts so bad.”
The judge who oversaw the high-profile case <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-in-karmelo-anthony-murder-trial-breaks-his-silence?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Judge+In+Karmelo+Anthony+Murder+Trial+Breaks+His+Silence">said</a> the jury made the correct decision. 
“Yes,” said Judge John Roach. “They did because they were picked based upon the law, they listened to the facts, it happened in this courtroom, and they got a verdict.”

The Latest Move In Karmelo Anthony’s Case

Texas

A federal magistrate rescinded an order on Monday, June 15, which had allowed the 16-year-old charged with the death and sexual assault of his stepsister, to remain in the custody of family members while awaiting trial.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres issued a 14-page order in response to the prosecutor’s request to detain Timothy Hudson, who is charged with the rape and murder of his stepsister, Anna Kepner. Torres agreed that detention was the correct call — not based on Hudson being a flight risk, but rather his “dangerousness.”
“The strength of the evidence here points strongly in favor of detention,” Torres said in the court documents from June 10. “Focusing just on the sexual assault charge, the Government’s case for a forcible rape is beyond clear and convincing.” 
“Indeed it suggests a level of psychopathy and lack of remorse that by itself raises a serious concern that Defendant can snap at any time, despite the well-meaning and serious efforts of his caretakers to make sure that does not happen,” Torres said. 
Hudson was reportedly  “<a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/20/us-news/anna-kepners-stepbrother-was-obsessed-with-slain-cheerleader-and-once-committed-creepy-act-while-she-was-sleeping-report/">obsessed</a>” with Kepner despite the two being part of the same blended family.
“She was scared of him because he always carried around a big knife,” Kepner’s ex-boyfriend’s father, Steven Westin, said. His son, Joshua, dated Kepner for about two years.
 “He’s like infatuated, attracted to her like crazy. He always wanted to date her,” Westin said.
On November 7, 2025 Kepner’s body was found wrapped in a blanket and stuffed under the bed when a cleaning attendant entered a Carnival cruise ship room that she shared with Hudson and her half-brother. Her stepmother and biological father were staying in the room across the hall. 
Torres obtained a transcript from a February hearing, which revealed the medical examiner discovered bleeding under Kepner’s skin around the side and back of her neck. This is evidence of strangulation, and her cause of death was ruled as mechanical asphyxiation. The transcript also said DNA was found inside her body which was a match to Hudson.
The deadline for entering any plea agreement is August 28, according to the court records. If found guilty, Hudson could be sentenced to life in prison.
“The situation is deeply painful and complex for the entire family,” Christopher Kepner, the victim’s father, said in a previous statement. He said the family has “trust in the justice system to pursue the truth with care and integrity.”
Kepner was a Titusville high school senior who had aspirations to join the U.S. Navy and to eventually become a K-9 police officer, <a href="https://www.northbrevardfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Anna-Marie-Kepner?obId=46354353">according</a> to her online obituary. Her family described her as joyful and compassionate with a “radiant smile and endless energy.”

Horrified Judge Orders Anna Kepner’s Stepbrother To Be Jailed Before Rape And Murder Trial

Rape

Legal commentator Nancy Grace broke down in tears during her show this week while speaking to Jeff Metcalf, the father of slain teen <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/slain-teens-dad-unloads-on-karmelo-anthony-in-courtroom-cant-even-look-me-in-the-eyes">Austin Metcalf</a>, and reading a text she received from him last week.
Grace <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZs3T_VN1Ds">revealed</a> that she was texting Metcalf during the murder trial of Karmelo Anthony and asked Metcalf what he was hoping for in terms of a prison sentence for Anthony. Metcalf responded with something unexpected — he said what he was hoping for was that his late son would walk through the door.
&#8220;You said, &#8216;The jury is deciding punishment as we speak,'&#8221; Grace said on &#8220;Crime Stories with Nancy Grace,&#8221; recounting the pair&#8217;s text exchange. &#8220;I wrote back, &#8216;What is your hope?&#8217; I was referring to, &#8216;What do you think would be a fair sentence?&#8217; And what you wrote back &#8230; &#8216;That my son will walk through the door again.'&#8221;
In tears, Grace noted that she was with her twin children when she was texting Metcalf, making her even more emotional. Austin is a twin; his brother Hunter Metcalf held Austin in his arms after he was stabbed and fighting for his life.
&#8220;I will never forget it, because I was with my twins, as you know,&#8221; Grace said.
&#8220;It seems to me, this whole time, you have not been focused on [Anthony] going to prison for life, or him getting a death penalty,&#8221; the host continued. &#8220;It&#8217;s not been about that. You just want your son to come back through the door.&#8221;
&#8220;Yes, but I know the reality,&#8221; an emotional Metcalf responded. &#8220;And it&#8217;s a hard pill to swallow.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Nancy Grace reveals the text message from <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/AustinMetcalf?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AustinMetcalf</a>&#8216;s father that she says she&#8217;ll never forget. His answer wasn&#8217;t about punishment. It was about the one thing he can never have back. Join us tonight on YouTube at 6PM ET: <a href="https://t.co/xe7H0FD9nC">https://t.co/xe7H0FD9nC</a> <a href="https://t.co/jlsWFb5TYW">pic.twitter.com/jlsWFb5TYW</a>
— Nancy Grace (@NancyGrace) <a href="https://x.com/NancyGrace/status/2066607720275300567?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
Anthony was convicted last Tuesday of murdering Austin at a track meet in April 2025 and was sentenced to 35 years behind bars. The 19-year-old is already appealing the first-degree murder conviction. The Anthony family and legal team have claimed Anthony didn&#8217;t get a fair shake because the minority jurors selected for the trial were not black. Notably, jurors are not selected based on the color of their skin.
The high-profile murder trial started on June 1 with jury selection and wrapped up in just nine days. Video footage and witness testimony — even from defense witnesses — generally indicated that Anthony provoked the situation with Metcalf, and deadly force was not needed, contradicting the self-defense argument from Anthony’s team. Anthony did not take the stand during the trial.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fck-austin-karmelo-anthony-supporters-harass-threaten-friends-of-slain-teen-outside-courthouse?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘F*ck+Austin%21’%3A+Karmelo+Anthony+Supporters+Harass%2C+Threaten+Friends+Of+Slain+Teen+Outside+Courthouse">‘F*ck Austin!’: Karmelo Anthony Supporters Harass, Threaten Friends Of Slain Teen Outside Courthouse</a>

Jeff and Austin Metcalf

READ IT: The Heartbreaking Text Austin Metcalf’s Father Sent During The Trial

Nancy Grace Breaks Down In Tears Reading Jeff Metcalf Text Message

Nancy Grace

Karmelo Anthony’s attorney claims that his client does &#8220;feel remorse&#8221; for murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf with a knife at a track meet in Texas in April 2025.
The 19-year-old was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his crime, which has led to cries of racism from the usual crowd because Anthony is black and Metcalf was white. <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/06/12/karmelo-anthony-lawyer-thinks-he-feels-remorse-for-murder/">TMZ</a> spoke with Anthony’s lead defense attorney, Mike Howard, following the verdict, and he said he’s not totally sure of his former client’s state of mind but can say he believes Anthony is sorry.
“I believe from my many interactions with him that, while he believed that in that split-second of chaos that he was defending himself, that Karmelo also has and continues to feel remorse for Austin Metcalf, for [Austin’s twin brother] Hunter Metcalf, for the entire family for their loss,” the attorney told TMZ.
Anthony hasn’t made any public statements on the matter and also didn’t testify in his own defense at the trial. He has already filed an appeal, and Howard will not be representing him again.
While Anthony himself hasn’t publicly commented on what happened, his parents, who have come under fire for how they allegedly spent money raised to put toward their son’s defense case, have voiced their opinions on the murder.
During an <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/karmelo-anthony-austin-metcalf-family-interview-murder-sentence/">interview</a> for CBS Mornings, Anthony&#8217;s mother, Kala Hayes, said her son &#8220;didn&#8217;t mean to hurt anyone&#8221; and &#8220;was defending himself.&#8221; 
Andrew Anthony, Karmelo’s father, said he would tell the Metcalf family, &#8220;It&#8217;s unfortunate, it&#8217;s where nobody wins.&#8221; 
&#8220;We&#8217;ve all been hurt by this,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Everybody, everyone.&#8221; Andrew also repeated the debunked claim that his son was convicted by an “all-white jury.” 
&#8220;They did a number on us,&#8221; Andrew told CBS. &#8220;We didn&#8217;t get justice. A lot of things that were missed that should have been handled a certain way.&#8221;
Meanwhile, Austin Metcalf’s father, Jeff, blames Anthony’s parents for how race was used in the trial. 
“Drew Anthony. Kayla. You’re cowards. You wouldn’t even show up for your son’s sentencing or victim’s statement impacts. You abandoned your kid. You left him there. I guess he’s no more use to you because you can’t get any more GoFundMe money or [GiveSendGo] money. You are grifters. You should be ashamed of yourself,” he said during a recent podcast interview, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/austin-metcalfs-father-snaps-on-karmelo-anthonys-parents?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Austin+Metcalf%E2%80%99s+Father+Explodes+On+Karmelo+Anthony%E2%80%99s+Parents">reported</a>. “You raised that child, and I swear to God, CPS should come check on those other three that you still have.”
Anthony’s family raised over $600,000 after the murder. 
“You never once admitted or took accountability. You tried to play victim. The real victim is the one who died, not the one who shoved a knife in his chest,” he went on. “I come to pray with you and show the world we can close the gap of this unbelievable racial divide. And what’d you do? Widen the gap even further.”
“I feel sorry for that young man,” Metcalf said of Anthony. “He’s fixing to live a living hell. Not that he doesn’t deserve it. Yes, he does. But I’m human. And I’m sorry. I don’t wish harm or ill will on anyone. It’s not the Christian thing to do, man. It’s not the way I was raised. It’s not what I was taught. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. I just know it is what it is.”

Karmelo Austin

Karmelo Anthony’s Lawyer Breaks Silence On Client’s Remorse

Karmelo Anthony's Attorney Comments On Whether His Client 'Feels Remorse'

George Washington University law professor emerita W. Burlette Carter declared on Thursday that Karmelo Anthony was entitled to a new trial.
Anthony, 19, was convicted of murder in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf, 17, and sentenced to serve 35 years in prison. Carter argued that because &#8220;minorities are not interchangeable,&#8221; Anthony was not provided with &#8220;a jury of his peers&#8221; at trial — and she said that alone was grounds for him to receive a new trial.
Carter, a black woman who describes herself on X as a &#8220;descendant of slaves,&#8221; prefaced her <a href="https://x.com/ProfWBCarter/status/2065283542414705051">statement</a> by admitting that she had not yet read a full transcript of the trial — but then immediately argued that she didn&#8217;t need to because it was already clear to her that Anthony had not been granted a fair trial.
&#8220;I have not yet read the full trial transcript. But so far, I do know this. Karmelo Anthony was entitled to a jury of his peers. He did not get that,&#8221; she claimed. &#8220;On that ground alone, he is entitled to a new trial. Minorities are not interchangeable. The prosecutor’s reported proffered reasons for striking all black jurors  — that they were teachers — appears to be pretext.&#8221;
But by law, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/race-narrative-kicked-into-overdrive-after-jury-selected-in-austin-metcalf-murder-trial">jury</a> does not have to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-race-card-karmelo-anthonys-father-is-playing-gets-scorched-by-facts">reflect the race</a> of the defendant — rather, it must be made up of a reasonable cross section of the community, and both attorneys and judges are to do their best to ensure that the jury is made up of individuals who will decide the case based on the facts presented rather than preexisting biases.
The jury in Anthony&#8217;s case was made up of multiple ethnic minorities — in spite of claims made by Anthony&#8217;s father and others that the jury was &#8220;all white&#8221; — including Asian, Indian, and Hispanic. The prosecution did challenge several potential jurors who were black because they were educators and the murder had happened on school grounds. The judge accepted those challenges as valid.
&#8220;Anthony needs a new lawyer on appeal and in a new trial,&#8221; Carter continued, arguing that Anthony&#8217;s court-appointed attorney had not done a good job. She left out the fact that, after raising some $600,000 via GiveSendGo, Anthony&#8217;s family had gone with a court-appointed lawyer after claiming that he was unable to afford a private attorney.
&#8220;His trial lawyer allowed in opinion evidence that should have been struck. He also seemed unable to appreciate and counter the impact of racial overtones in that case. Those overtones are clear even on Twitter commentary as folks seek to paint Metcalf as having no culpability in what happened and Karmelo as a complete monster,&#8221; she insisted. &#8220;The facts on how the matter escalated are more complicated than that. He and they had no such authority. They are also apparent in the statements that seek to deputize Metcalf and other kids with authority to remove Anthony. They had none and initiated the conflict. That does not mean they should have been killed but it means they have explaining to do. The lawyer for Anthony apparently did not require that explaining. It is fair to ask how the Anthonys ended up selecting that lawyer.&#8221;
Her final jab was aimed at the trial judge, and she claimed that he should &#8220;be disqualified&#8221; because he gave an interview that could have &#8220;negatively affected the appeal rights of the defendant.&#8221;

Karmelo Mugshot

The Flaw In A Professor’s Race-Based Defense Of Karmelo Anthony

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has confirmed that an employee has been terminated over her remarks about Karmelo Anthony in the wake of his murder conviction and subsequent 35-year prison sentence.
The TDCJ confirmed to <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/article/karmelo-anthony-parole-supervisor-facebook-comment-22302990.php">The Dallas Morning News</a> that Donna Robinson was no longer with the department after she posted on Facebook about the case, saying that she believed Anthony was likely to be &#8220;protected&#8221; in prison. She also added, &#8220;I&#8217;m just glad we didn&#8217;t have to bury another Black child. Let them start burying some of theirs for a change. FK&#8217;em I said what I said.&#8221;
Libs of TikTok shared screenshots of the post on Friday, following up later with a post stating that Robinson had been let go.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This woman claims to be on the Board of Pardons and Parole in Texas
She allegedly posted this after Karmelo Anthony was found guilty.
We reached out to <a href="https://x.com/TDCJ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TDCJ</a> but they declined to respond <a href="https://t.co/OBxn2rRsdg">pic.twitter.com/OBxn2rRsdg</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2065245530058330465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I am a parole supervisor at TX DCJ Karmelo will be ok he I can almost assure you will be protected on the inside. I for one don&#8217;t give fk about the family&#8217;s loss. It&#8217;s about time these fking bigots feel the pain tha they have inflicted on other people since the beginning of time!&#8221; she posted.
&#8220;I&#8217;m just glad we didn&#8217;t have to bury another black child. Let them start burying some of theirs for a change. FK&#8217;em I said what I said,&#8221; she added.
The TDCJ said in a statement to The Dallas Morning News that Robinson&#8217;s comments undercut the department in a way that was deemed unacceptable, and after a review of her public statements, she was fired.
&#8220;These statements are incompatible with TDCJ policy and values. They demonstrate bias and a lack of the impartiality essential to the fair administration of justice in Texas,&#8221; the statement said, noting that employees were expected on a regular basis to make decisions in the workplace that had to be free from bias. &#8220;Discriminatory or inflammatory conduct that erodes public confidence in the criminal justice system will not be tolerated.&#8221;
Anthony, 19, was convicted for the murder of Austin Metcalf, 17 — whom he fatally stabbed at a high school track meet — and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

karmelo_behind_bars__720

The Karmelo Anthony Post That Ended A Prison Official’s Career

Politics

The father of slain Texas teenager Austin Metcalf blasted the parents of Karmelo Anthony as “cowards,” accusing them of making the high-profile murder case about race. 
Jeff Metcalf made the comments shortly after a jury sentenced the 19-year-old Anthony to 35 years in prison for murdering 17-year-old Metcalf with a knife at a track meet in Texas in April 2025. 
After Anthony&#8217;s sentencing, Metcalf spoke on a <a href="https://rumble.com/v7b3yt0-jinxedsip-exclusive-the-jeff-metcalf-interview-with-sarah-fields-ep.-53.html?e9s=src_v1_s%2Csrc_v1_s_o&amp;sci=71c8a082-9d9c-4ea5-835d-2810ef2eb2d9">three-hour stream</a> hosted by independent journalist Sarah Fields on the JinxedSip podcast. He gave his thoughts on the trial, the racial issues at play during the trial, and his emotions about the lengthy ordeal. 
Anthony&#8217;s parents, Andrew Anthony and Kayla Hayles, blamed the conviction and sentencing of their son on racism in a recent interview with CBS.
“Drew Anthony. Kayla. You&#8217;re cowards. You wouldn&#8217;t even show up for your son&#8217;s sentencing or victim&#8217;s statement impacts. You abandoned your kid. You left him there. I guess he&#8217;s no more use to you because you can&#8217;t get any more GoFundMe money or [GiveSendGo] money. You are grifters. You should be ashamed of yourself,” he said. “You raised that child, and I swear to God, CPS should come check on those other three that you still have.”
Anthony’s family raised over $600,000 after the murder. 
“You never once admitted or took accountability. You tried to play victim. The real victim is the one who died, not the one who shoved a knife in his chest,” he added. “I come to pray with you and show the world we can close the gap of this unbelievable racial divide. And what&#8217;d you do? Widen the gap even further.”
Metcalf was referring to how he was turned away from a press conference hosted by the Anthony family after the killing. 
“I feel sorry for that young man,” Metcalf said of Anthony. “He&#8217;s fixing to live a living hell. Not that he doesn&#8217;t deserve it. Yes, he does. But I&#8217;m human. And I&#8217;m sorry. I don&#8217;t wish harm or ill will on anyone. It&#8217;s not the Christian thing to do, man. It&#8217;s not the way I was raised. It&#8217;s not what I was taught. I don&#8217;t know if it&#8217;s right or wrong. I just know it is what it is.”
Metcalf also commented on the racial politics at play in the case. Leftist activists claim that Anthony was only convicted because he was black and have complained that there were no black jurors. 
“Because you can&#8217;t be unbiased, you dumb sh*ts. If you answer the question, ‘I can&#8217;t send a black man to jail because he&#8217;s black,’ they&#8217;re not getting on the jury. You&#8217;re so unintelligent, you can&#8217;t even fill out a form correctly,” Metcalf said. “You don&#8217;t even know who your f*cking daddy is because 78% of you don&#8217;t have your father in the home anymore. You got baby mamas running around with eight kids so they can get EBT cards to feed you all. You think I&#8217;m being racist? No, I&#8217;m being real, because [it’s not] only black people. White people do the same sh*t.  I&#8217;ll call them out just as hard as I&#8217;ll call you out.”
Metcalf also said that he raised his sons not to judge people by the color of their skin. 
“We don&#8217;t see color. We&#8217;re not racist. We have friends of all diversities, nationality, ethnicities. It doesn&#8217;t matter,” he said. ‘Justice doesn&#8217;t see color. Hate doesn&#8217;t see color. Love doesn&#8217;t see color.”
He also said he never wanted race to be part of the trial.
“From day one, I said this was never about race. Please, don&#8217;t make it about race and don&#8217;t politicize it. And what did you do? You chose both. The race card, black fatigue. It&#8217;s real. I&#8217;m sorry. You have embarrassed your own culture and race. Don&#8217;t get me wrong. We got a lot of [white] people that embarrass the sh*t out of me too. But you guys, you got a patent on that sh*t. And the only people who&#8217;re going to change it  are you. Don&#8217;t blame the white person &#8217;cause we can&#8217;t change it. But you&#8217;re gonna blame the white person for every f*cking thing else.”
“You can do everything in America that I can do. Tell me one thing, you can&#8217;t do that I can&#8217;t do. We all have equal rights,” he added. 
At one point during the stream, he referred to Anthony as a “watermelon felon&#8221; while mocking the activists who have tried to make the case about race. 
“Let me make something racist up so &#8230; go viral. I got a new name for Mello, OK? Because he was such this little boy you [were] always trying to portray. How about ‘watermelon felon?’  How&#8217;s that one strike you?” he said. “I hope he enjoyed his first night in his cell last night because he&#8217;s going to have many nights to think about what the f*ck he did. I forgave him, so I don&#8217;t carry the hate and the anger.”
The interview with Fields was the first after a gag order ended after the trial wrapped up on Tuesday. 
“Jeff Metcalf was given the floor without interruption. After being under a gag order for a year, he could finally speak raw and unfiltered,” Fields <a href="https://x.com/SarahisCensored/status/2064940589104136689">said</a>. “THIS is what independent journalism is about. The mainstream media never would have dared.”

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