The family of the 17-year-old suspect who was arrested after fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, earlier this month has revealed that it plans to use the funds raised for the suspect’s defense to move to a different house and hire security amid allegations of racist threats against the family.
According to Fox News, 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony was released from jail on Monday after his bond was reduced from $1 million to $250,000 on Monday morning. The outlet noted that the 17-year-old suspect currently faces first-degree murder charges related to the fatal stabbing of Metcalf.
Fox News reported that under the conditions of his bail release from jail, Anthony will be placed under house arrest, will be forced to wear an ankle monitor, and will not be able to leave his house without permission from a judge.
During a court hearing, Andrew Anthony, the suspect’s father, was asked why the family could not use over $415,000 in crowdsourced funds for Karmelo Anthony’s legal defense to cover the initial $1 million bond, according to The Daily Mail. The outlet reported that while the suspect’s father claimed the donations would be used to cover Anthony’s legal costs, he noted that the money would also be used to help the family move to a different location and for security costs due to alleged threats against the family in the aftermath of the fatal stabbing incident earlier this month.
READ MORE: Video/Pics: Teen stabbed to death at high school track meet
According to The Daily Mail, a family spokesperson claimed that the Anthony family has been unable to leave their home following the leak of their address online. The spokesperson claimed that the family has received “graphic and racist threats,” including images of “black children with knives stuck in their head.”
Michael Howard, Karmelo Anthony’s attorney, addressed the donations, saying, “It would be disingenuous to say there isn’t money… But it is not a bond fund. This family needs to be able to survive.”
According to Fox 4, Judge Angela Tucker, who presided over the bond court hearing, admitted that she has not previously experienced the level of security issues that have surrounded the 17-year-old’s case. During the hearing, the judge emphasized that it was only a bond hearing and not the actual trial in the case. The judge added that the purpose of a bond was to protect the community and make sure that a defendant appeared in court.
“I don’t take that lightly at all. I take those things very seriously,” the judge said. “There is no replacement for the loss of life or the loss of a child. I don’t want the family to think a bond amount is connected to the dignity of loss. You cannot make the person come back.”
