Congresswoman Sparks Backlash with Stunning Defense of Karmelo Anthony

Rep. Jasmine Crockett is facing fierce backlash after appearing to defend convicted killer Karmelo Anthony and suggesting she may have responded the same way in the fatal stabbing of Texas high school track star Austin Metcalf.

Crockett, a Texas Democrat and failed Senate candidate, made the stunning remarks on Tuesday’s episode of her podcast, “Clock It with Crockett,” where she weighed in on the racially charged case that has gripped Texas for more than a year.

Anthony, now 19, was convicted of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Metcalf, a 17-year-old Memorial High School student and track athlete from Frisco, Texas. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

But Crockett’s take on the case quickly set off outrage, with critics accusing her of spreading misleading claims about the deadly confrontation while downplaying the weapon used to kill the teenager.

At one point, Crockett held her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart while discussing the knife Anthony used to stab Metcalf in the chest.

“Wait a minute, it was this?” she said.

She then appeared unsure about the weapon, asking, “Was it a switch? I don’t know what he had.”

One of her guests suggested the weapon was “a multi-tool,” comparing it to a Swiss Army knife. Crockett seemed to agree, describing it as something “with the little scissors and everything.”

“So it was small,” she said.

Then came the comment that triggered even more outrage.

“Well, I would argue the size of it alone, you wouldn’t even think it’s a deadly weapon,” Crockett said.

Authorities said Anthony used a semi-serrated 5-inch pocket knife with a sharp point and one-handed opening capability. The knife pierced Metcalf’s sternum and entered his heart, leaving what was described as a “gaping” 2-inch stab wound. Metcalf bled to death.

Crockett then appeared to drastically misrepresent the confrontation that led to the killing.

“If a 300-pound man is beating me, like on top of me and beating me down, I’m not limited to fists,” she said.

The comment immediately drew criticism because Metcalf was not 300 pounds. He was reportedly 6 feet tall and weighed around 200 pounds. Anthony, a high school football player, was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 162 pounds.

Witness testimony also did not support Crockett’s version of events.

According to witness Eddie Parra, Metcalf was trying to remove Anthony from a team tent during a track meet at Memorial High School in Frisco. Parra testified that Anthony became aggressive when confronted, daring Metcalf to “touch me” and warning that “you’re going to have to move me.”

Witnesses said Metcalf shoved Anthony before Anthony pulled out the knife and stabbed him in the chest. Collin County District Attorney Bill Wirskye described the stabbing as a “sneak attack.”

There was no testimony that Metcalf was “on top” of Anthony or beating him down, despite Crockett’s claim.

The backlash online was swift.

“Why does it matter what he used to kill him? A rope isn’t a deadly weapon until it’s used to strangle someone,” one X user wrote.

“Pretty sure Metcalf is dead, so it sounds like a deadly weapon to me,” another posted.

A third critic said Crockett had “twisted this story into something that did not happen,” adding that she should have looked up the facts before speaking publicly about the case.

Crockett’s remarks are especially notable because she is an attorney. This is not the first time she has been ridiculed for comments about crime and the justice system. She previously drew mockery after saying, “Just because someone has committed a crime, it doesn’t make them a criminal,” during an appearance on Jonathan Van Ness’ “Getting Better” podcast.

Anthony’s conviction came after a Collin County jury deliberated for roughly three hours before finding him guilty of first-degree murder.

The jury was made up of white, Asian and Hispanic members.

Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison for killing Metcalf.

Crockett did not respond to a request for comment from The Post.