Karmelo Anthony's defense team rested on June 8, but the teen did not take the stand, making his self-defense claim harder to win, according to a veteran Texas attorney.
Nineteen-year-old Anthony's decision not to testify risks the jury not even considering self-defense when deliberating, as his lawyers never acknowledged that he stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf to death.
Defense lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal explained that in Texas, self-defense trials require acknowledging the conduct, which Anthony's team failed to do.
The move might be a gambit to convince the jury to hand Anthony a lesser manslaughter charge in lieu of first-degree murder, allowing the defense to request manslaughter consideration before closing statements begin on June 9.
However, another lawyer noted that the arguments for allowing the jury to downgrade to manslaughter seem stronger than for a total acquittal on first-degree murder based on self-defense.
A verdict could be handed down as early as June 10, thanks to 296th District Court Judge John Roach Jr., who has extended courthouse hours and held proceedings on Saturday.
