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.

What To Know About Karmelo Anthony’s Case

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. Moments later, Anthony stabbed Metcalf once in the chest with a black folding knife, piercing his heart.

Anthony immediately surrendered, telling officers, “I was protecting myself,” and asking whether Metcalf would survive. He was charged with murder, indicted and ultimately tried as an adult under Texas law.

After a trial in Collin County in June, jurors rejected Anthony’s claims of self-defense. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison. He is appealing his conviction and sentence.

Democratic U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas, whom Talarico defeated in a fiercely contested primary, was among those who said the outcome would have been different if the races were reversed.

She said that if Anthony were white and the victim Black, she did not believe he would have received such a lengthy sentence.

“I don’t even know if he would have been convicted because if a white boy would have said that they were afraid of a Black boy, something tells me that that jury that didn’t have any Black people on it, they would have believed him in his fear,” she said following Anthony’s sentencing.

Karmelo Anthony Seeks New Trial

Judge Michael Chitty is set to consider a motion from Anthony’s attorneys asking for a retrial in the killing of Metcalf.

Chitty was assigned to the case after the removal of Judge John Roach, who presided over Anthony’s trial, on Wednesday.

Anthony’s attorneys had argued for Roach to be removed in part because of a TV interview in which he said jurors “got it right” when they delivered a guilty verdict.

In seeking a new trial, Anthony’s attorneys have argued that the June proceedings were marred by strict courtroom rules and improper jury instructions. They have also said Anthony’s decision to not testify followed a dispute with prosecutors over an agreement to focus the trial on the events leading up to the stabbing.

Chitty is expected to determine whether Anthony’s claims warrant a retrial or whether the murder conviction and sentence will stand. If the request is denied, the case will likely proceed through the Texas appeals process.