Karmelo Anthony granted house arrest as judge reduces his bond from $1 million to $250,000 (UPDATE: Anthony walks free)

UPDATE, 8:03 p.m ET: A new video report from WFAA-TV shows Anthony dressed in a grey three-piece suit and walking free from jail Thursday — along with a small group of people guarding him and ushering him into a dark-colored SUV.

Original story below

Karmelo Anthony — the 17-year-old charged with murdering Texas high school star athlete Austin Metcalf, also 17, in connection with an April 2 stabbing at a Frisco track meet — was granted house arrest as a judge on Monday reduced his bond from $1 million to $250,000.

The bond reduction hearing began at 9 a.m. with Anthony entering the courtroom handcuffed and chained while wearing a gold jumpsuit, KDFW-TV reported.

'For reasons unknown, the defendant brought a knife to a track meet. For what probably could have been a fist fight at worst.'

Anthony's attorneys asked the judge to reduce his bond to $150,000, the station said, adding that defense attorney Mike Howard said, "Given that Karmelo has no prior criminal history …given that this young man has not been in any sort of trouble before, 1 million dollars is not necessary."

Howard added that "this family needs to be able to survive. There’s been a tremendous amount of pressure. I think at this point, living in a gated community, given everything, the safety of their younger children is very warranted. Security details and criminal defense are not cheap," KFDW said.

Howard also suggested putting Karmelo on an ankle monitor and imposing house arrest to "give this young man a chance to get out of jail and be with his family," the station noted. Anthony has been in Collin County Jail since the fatal stabbing.

Prosecutors said Anthony was in an "altercation" in school on Feb. 4, which didn't involve law enforcement, KDFW reported, adding that the GiveSendGo fundraising page that topped $250,000 early last week also was brought up. As of Monday afternoon, the funding eclipsed $415,000.

Bill Wirsky, Collin County First Assistant, argued that "for reasons unknown, the defendant brought a knife to a track meet. For what probably could have been a fist fight at worst. [The family] could make this million-dollar bond as soon as they get access to it. I don’t know why we are here."

Anthony's mother and father both testified at the bond hearing, the station reported, and said a lot of the money needs to go to their son's legal defense.

Anthony's father added that the family doesn't have access to the money raised, WFAA-TV reported, adding that the father also said he's the sole provider for his family and the notoriety of the case is forcing his family to move to a new home. The moving costs and the cost of providing for his wife and four children prevents the family from being able to pay the $1 million bond, the father also said, according to WFAA.

The judge reduced Anthony's bond to $250,000, KDFW reported, adding that he will be placed on house arrest, will have to speak to the bailiff every Friday morning, and isn't allowed on social media.

Judge Angela Tucker of the 199th Judicial District Court said she learned of the case assignment last Monday and that cases are assigned at random, KDFW said, adding that Tucker will preside only over the bond reduction hearing. Another judge will be randomly selected to preside over the trial, KDFW noted.

Tucker said they've never had the security issues they've faced with this case, KDFW said, and that a bond is meant to ensure a defendant returns to court and to ensure the community's safety.

"I don't take that lightly at all," Tucker also said during the bond hearing, according to KDFW. "I take those things very seriously."

She added that "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," KDFW noted.

The family on Saturday announced they had hired Howard as a new attorney to represent their son, KDFW reported. According to KXAS-TV, the family on April 4 hired defense attorney Deric Walpole; then ABC News reported on April 8 that Anthony's family retained Dallas-Fort Worth-area defense attorneys Billy Clark of the Clark Law Firm and Kim Cole of K Cole Law in the case.

Metcalf's memorial service was held Saturday at Hope Fellowship Frisco East, KDFW reported, adding that the family held a private burial after the service.

KDFW said in lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to a scholarship in honor of Metcalf at https://hopefellowship.churchcenter.com/giving. KDFW said outside the church some memorial service attendees wore football jerseys; Metcalf was a member of the Frisco Memorial High School football team and was voted MVP this past season. He also was a member of the track and field team, the station added.

This story has been updated with a new video showing Anthony walking free from jail.

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