AIBU to think USA has gone crazy - Karmelo Anthony is a murderer not a victim

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From what I have read, Karmelo Anthony (who is black African American) took a concealed knife to a track event. When it started raining he ran to another team's tent to shelter. He was told to leave by a white athlete called Austin Metcalfe. KA refused saying ' 'Touch me and see what happens', According to one account I read he was repeatedly told to leave and replied the same way each time. Austin Metcalfe then pushed KA to get him to leave and KA pulled out the knife and stabbed AM in the chest, killing him.

Apparently sections of America are outraged that KA has now been convicted of murder. Possible sentence range in America is 5 to 99 years for this offence and he got 35 years.

I don't understand how this is not murder. In UK law if you can run away you must, and he didn't. In UK law if you kill someone when you could have run, you will be tried for murder.

KA took a knife. He could have left (even if he thought it was a dick move to ask him to leave when it was raining - you can't murder people for being dickish about their gazebo) but chose to not to, escalating the situation with threatening language and then stabbed a young man in the chest.

I just think something has gone terribly wrong in USA society where this man is treated as a victim, not the person who he killed, and this case is regarded as an injustice against him. I hope the UK does not go down this route.

I don't understand any relevance of UK law to an event on a different continent

I’m interested in this as I think I must be missing something, I can’t understand what basis people are protesting against KAs prison sentence. I actually feel incredibly sorry for both sets of parents, two families have been devastated by this, but I can’t see that there’s been a miscarriage of justice.

Read my last paragraph again and you will see I am talking about the culture in USA around this, and not wanting the UK to become like this, rather than not wanting UK law over here.

This is what I mean. Its just truly insane. Its a really sad state of racial politics in USA that this young men who chose to carry a nice to an athletic event, chose not to walk away, who chose to speak aggressively, who was dealing with people telling him to leave rather than threatening him, and who chose to stab someone in the chest, is regarded as a victim not a murderer. Talk about bloody DARVO.

I feel really sorry for the victim's family having to watch this cruel lack of humanity for their murdered son.

The vast majority of Americans agree he's a murderer. It's the vocal minority that disagrees.

On what basis are people saying it isn't murder? Or that he shouldn't go to prison?

I hope so! I can't understand how anyone could think he should not have been convicted of murder. Apparently the victim was saying, 'I am not going to fight you.' So it could hardly be self-defence from KA.

Because he is black and the victim was white and bigger than him, and pushed him to get him out of the tent. Apparently if someone puts their hands on you, you can kill them 🙄 Even if they have been telling you to go away and that they don't want to fight you. And you were walking around with a concealed knife and saying 'touch me and see what I will do'

I haven't read up on the case, but I think his supporters are claiming it was self-defence?

Hmmm last time I checked the UK was letting rapists go free. Two weeks ago in fact.

Yeah the comments on social media are unhinged.

They want “justice for Karmelo” though, even though he was the thug with the knife who used it because the other boy put his hand on his shoulder 😑

RIP Austin ❤️

They are but it clearly was not and the mixed race jury did not think so either.

Thank you for your completely irrelevant contribution to the topic of this thread.

You've only just noticed?

No, but this just seems completely off the scale. Being outraged that a murderer is convicted. Its sick.

In Texas, 35 years for Murder is a light sentence.

The maximum possible is 99 years. If he behaves in prison he will be out in 17 years, I think that will make him 35. He'll still have a life to lead unlike his victim.

Nor do I which is why I never supported all the protests, knee bending etc when Flloyd was killed in anioher country but I suppost there is a difference which will influence some people's reaction.

He killed someone and was found guilty. So what's your problem? Were you hoping he'd get off so you could start banging on about "two tier justice"?

Sorry, who is that directed at? It can't be directed at me, so who are you talking to?

Noooo it was an all white jury.

I think it’s this paragraph the poster is talking about. It doesn’t matter what happens in UK law, this was crime committed by an American in America.

I don't understand how this is not murder. In UK law if you can run away you must, and he didn't. In UK law if you kill someone when you could have run, you will be tried for murder.

No it wasn't. The jury was composed of hispanic, asian and white jurors. That's a mixed race jury.

I believe the main reason for the discourse is because African Americans are more likely to be harshly sentenced over white people and even other POC for the same or similar crimes, which is actually a problem that should be addressed.

How rude. The PP was discussing what is happening in the UK. You said you don’t want the U.K. to go down that route and so it is entirely relevant to bring up the fact that our legal system is also not fit for purpose.