The Democratic nominee to succeed retiring Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) is drawing criticism after referring to convicted murderer Karmelo Anthony as a “little boy” and a “friend” while arguing that the criminal justice system treated him unfairly because of his race.
Frederick Haynes, senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas and Crockett’s longtime spiritual mentor, made the remarks during a Father’s Day sermon following Anthony’s conviction earlier this month.
Anthony, 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prison after a Collin County jury found him guilty of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, a high school football standout who was fatally stabbed during an altercation at a track meet in April 2025.
Throughout the trial, Anthony’s attorneys argued he acted in self-defense. Prosecutors contended that Anthony escalated the confrontation before stabbing Metcalf once in the chest. Multiple witnesses testified that Anthony had been argumentative with several students before the deadly encounter.
Addressing his congregation, Haynes said he attended the trial and accused the legal system of failing Anthony.
“This boy, our friend, can’t even defend himself. We are not safe,” Haynes said.
The Democratic nominee also criticized Anthony’s legal representation and the makeup of the jury.
“I sat in that courtroom disgusted because of the fact that the defense did not defend Karmelo Anthony,” Haynes said. “I sat there disgusted because the prosecuting attorney then had the nerve to paint Karmelo Anthony as a monster of a man.”
Referring to Anthony as “that little boy who suffers from seizures,” Haynes argued that prosecutors improperly appealed to what he described as an “all non-Black jury” by telling jurors they had an opportunity to decide “the kind of community” they wanted to live in.
Court records indicate the jury included several racial minorities but no Black jurors. Anthony’s attorneys challenged the prosecution’s use of peremptory strikes against prospective Black jurors, but the trial judge rejected claims that the strikes were racially motivated.
The case became one of the country’s most closely watched criminal trials, generating intense debate. Anthony also received more than $630,000 in crowdfunding donations before trial, while demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse in support of him during both the trial and sentencing.
Haynes is expected to be the favorite in November’s general election for Texas’ heavily Democratic 30th Congressional District, where he is running to replace Crockett. The congresswoman has previously described Haynes as her mentor, and he has served as her pastor for years. Following Anthony’s conviction, Crockett also questioned aspects of the prosecution’s handling of the case.
Haynes has long been known for blending politics into his sermons and has generated controversy on multiple occasions. The day after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, he accused Israel of practicing apartheid and suggested Hamas’ actions stemmed from self-defense.
“I recognize that we gotta be pro-Israel … or we get in trouble. Well, I’m coming to get in trouble,” Haynes said during that sermon.
His views have earned endorsements from several anti-Israel political organizations, including CAIR Action, the political arm of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Haynes has also spoken favorably of controversial religious figures. He has referred to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan as a “wonderful and great man” and has described himself as a mentee of Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor whose sermons became a political liability during Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Beyond his political positions, Haynes was also involved in a 2009 employment dispute after a former executive assistant alleged she was terminated following an affair with Wright. Court filings from that case included additional personal allegations against Haynes, though he denied wrongdoing.
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