A Texas parole supervisor has lost her job after making controversial social media comments about convicted killer Karmelo Anthony, including claims that the teenager would receive protection behind bars and a defiant statement declaring, “I said what I said.”
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed that Donna Robinson was terminated following a review of public remarks she made online after Anthony, 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, last year.
Robinson, who identified herself on Facebook as a parole supervisor with the department, sparked outrage after commenting on Anthony’s future in prison. According to screenshots that quickly spread across social media, she wrote that Anthony would be “protected on the inside” and suggested she was unconcerned about the pain suffered by the victim’s family.
“I am a parole supervisor at TXDCJ. Karmelo will be OK. He, I can almost assure you, will be protected on the inside,” Robinson allegedly wrote.
She went on to make even more controversial remarks, stating that she was “glad we didn’t have to bury another Black child” and adding, “Let them start burying some of theirs for a change.”
In another post that fueled further backlash, Robinson doubled down on her comments with the statement: “FK’em. I said what I said.”
The remarks quickly attracted national attention after screenshots were shared widely online, prompting calls for action against the longtime corrections employee. Robinson’s social media profile reportedly indicated that she had worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for more than a decade.
Following a review, the department announced that Robinson was no longer employed by the agency.
In a statement, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said the comments violated agency standards and undermined public confidence in the criminal justice system.
“These statements are incompatible with TDCJ policy and values,” the department said. “They demonstrate bias and a lack of the impartiality essential to the fair administration of justice in Texas.”
The statement added that employees are expected to make decisions free from personal bias and that “discriminatory or inflammatory conduct that erodes public confidence in the criminal justice system will not be tolerated.”
Anthony’s case has remained highly controversial since the fatal incident, generating intense public debate and widespread attention online. Earlier this week, a jury found him guilty in the death of Metcalf and sentenced him to 35 years in prison.
The controversy surrounding Robinson’s comments has now become the latest development in a case that continues to draw strong reactions across the country.
