AT A GLANCE
- Dallas station WFAA apologized after reporter Rebecca Lopez used the phrase “big gorilla” while discussing racial tensions around the Karmelo Anthony trial.
- Viewers questioned the wording because Anthony is Black and the case has already been surrounded by racial debate.
- Anthony was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet.
- Anthony’s parents, Kala Hayes and Andrew Anthony, said they believe their son did not receive a fair trial and vowed to keep fighting.
WFAA Apologizes After Reporter’s Trial Comment Draws Fire
Dallas television station WFAA has apologized after a reporter’s on-air comment during coverage of the Karmelo Anthony trial sparked backlash online and renewed criticism over how race has been discussed around the high-profile Texas case.
Veteran WFAA reporter Rebecca Lopez was reporting outside the courthouse Tuesday when she described the racial tension surrounding the trial as “the big gorilla,” a phrase viewers quickly questioned because Anthony is Black and the case has already been surrounded by racial debate.
“Let’s talk a little bit about the big, uh, gorilla so to speak,” Lopez said during the broadcast. “There were people out here on both sides shouting racial slurs at one another. But it was very clear that the defense and prosecution did not want this to be about race. They said this was not about race.”
The clip spread across social media, where viewers pointed out that the common phrase is “elephant in the room,” not “gorilla.” For many, the substitution landed as more than a verbal stumble, especially during coverage of a Black teenager’s murder trial.
View on Threads
Viewers Question Judgment During Racially Charged Case
The backlash grew after Threads user @sheajordansmith reposted the clip and questioned the wording.
“When the case involves a Black defendant and the substituted term happens to be ‘gorilla,’ it raises legitimate questions about judgment, professionalism, and awareness,” he wrote.
Other commenters also criticized Lopez’s experience level, noting that she has worked as WFAA’s senior crime and justice reporter since 1998. One commenter wrote, “She is a seasoned reporter. She should know better.”
WFAA later issued an apology in a statement to Atlanta Black Star.
“Yesterday while reporting on the track meet stabbing trial, our reporter used an idiom to describe dynamics in the courtroom that was inappropriate,” the station said. “We apologize for that error and are committed to ensuring this doesn’t happen in the future. This mistake in no way reflects the culture of our newsroom or tenure of our coverage.”
Karmelo Anthony’s Parents Say They Will Keep Fighting
The controversy comes as Anthony’s family and supporters continue speaking out after the 19-year-old was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during an altercation at a Frisco, Texas, track meet in April 2025.
In an interview with Mimi Brown, Anthony’s parents, Kala Hayes and Andrew Anthony, said they believe their son did not receive a fair trial. Hayes said that, if the family could do anything differently, they would have hired a different attorney.
“We’re going to keep fighting,” Hayes said. “We will not stop fighting for justice for my son.”
Andrew Anthony said he wished he had been more “rebellious” during the process and described the case as “a setup.”
“I was told don’t talk to this person. Don’t talk to this person,” he said. “I feel that it was just a setup.”
Anthony’s family members and supporters have continued posting messages of encouragement online. His girlfriend shared photos of him on TikTok with the caption, “Hold your head high, my sweet boy,” before making her account private.
Celebrities And Lawmakers Weigh In After Sentencing
The case has also drawn responses from public figures, including Cardi B and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
Cardi B called the trial “disgusting,” while Crockett said during a livestream that Anthony was “over prosecuted” and pointed to what she described as a broader lack of humanity in the criminal justice system.
“I don’t think that there’s a lot of humanity in many of the courtrooms, but definitely in the criminal justice and carceral system,” Crockett said.
Texas State Rep. Vikki Goodwin, who is running for lieutenant governor, also weighed in while acknowledging the pain of the Metcalf family.
“No Texan should be told their concerns about fairness and equal treatment under the law are unworthy of being heard,” Goodwin wrote.
Trial Remains Under National Scrutiny
The case drew widespread attention beyond North Texas, with much of the public conversation centering on race, self-defense claims, social media narratives and the makeup of the jury. The jury reportedly included no Black jurors, despite Black residents making up more than 12% of Collin County’s population.
Inside and outside the courtroom, tensions were already high. Reports also described courtroom removals after racial slurs were used, adding another layer to a case where both the defense and prosecution said race was not the legal issue before jurors.
Still, Lopez’s comment struck a nerve because words carry weight, especially when they are spoken by journalists covering cases where race, justice and public trust are already part of the national conversation.
