After three days, attorneys in Collin County selected 12 jurors and six alternates for the murder trial of Karmelo Anthony. None of them are Black.
Anthony, who is Black, is accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, who was white, during a Frisco track meet last year.
The jury pool was narrowed from 600 initial summonses to roughly 250 before final selections on Wednesday. When the official jury was announced, no Black jurors were on the final bench.
Defense lawyers accused prosecutors of improperly striking the only three remaining Black prospective jurors, according to NBC. District Judge John Roach Jr. accepted the state's explanation that they were removed because they were educators.
The case has gained national attention and fueled racial tensions online.
The trial starts Thursday and is expected to last two weeks. Arguments will focus on whether Anthony acted in self-defense.
Anthony and Metcalf were 17 at the time of the incident. Anthony is being tried as an adult under state law.
The prosecutors' questions during jury selection centered around whether jurors could convict a young defendant, according to the Dallas Morning News. The defense emphasized Texas laws regarding carrying knives and the right to defend oneself without retreating.
Alexsis Jones is a reporter and producer for KERA News. Got a tip? Email Alexsis at ajones@kera.org.
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