Carmelo Anthony case: Did Deion Sanders donate $200,000 to teen’s appeal? Here’s what we found
A post going viral on social media spreads claims from the Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders $200,000 pledged to support Karmelo Anthony’s legal appeal following stabbing conviction Austin Metcalfe.
The post was shared by X account @FadeMFx, which has 10,400 followers. Sanders released a video announcing that he had contacted Anthony’s family and would donate $200,000 to secure “the best legal team” for the appeal, the post said.
The post also attributed the line, “Heartbroken to see yet another black child failed by the system,” to Sanders.
No verified sources support $200,000 donation claim
As of June 13, there was no confirmed evidence that Sanders had pledged $200,000 to Anthony’s family or legal defense team.
A review of Sanders’ public social media accounts and recent news reports did not reveal any claims consistent with virality.
A search of recent reports from ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, USA Today, the Associated Press and other major organizations found no evidence to support this claim.
The viral posts also failed to provide the full video, official transcript, or direct source of the alleged remarks.
What did the viral video actually show?
Sanders appears to be speaking in the video attached to the viral post, but the caption on the account linked to the video does not match the content of his speech.
In the video, Sanders talks about his comedic style and launching his career as a comedian. Multiple users who viewed the clip took issue with the accompanying subtitles.
a widely shared reply Sanders said he never mentioned Anthony or the $200,000 donation in the video. The user accused the original poster of being “involved in agriculture” by adding misleading text that had nothing to do with Sanders’ comments.
Another viral reaction similarly challenged that claim. “This is not true, Sanders never said this or posted it on any of his social media,” one user said. Wrote. “You idiots continue to lie, it’s ridiculous.”
Carmelo Anthony appeals
Anthony’s case has been the focus of social media since a Collin County jury found him guilty of murder. After the verdict, Anthony filed a notice of appeal and requested court-appointed counsel.
According to court documents obtained by WFAA, Anthony said he was “penniless” and unable to hire an appellate attorney.
Anthony, who was 17 at the time of the stabbing, was described in the report’s documents as “penniless, penniless, destitute, too poor to hire a lawyer.”
A GiveSendGo campaign linked to his family reportedly raised more than $600,000, but it was shut down after his conviction.
