Key facts
- A Texas judge denied Karmelo Anthony's motion for a new trial.
- Anthony was convicted of murder in June for the April 2025 stabbing death of Austin Metcalf, 17.
- He was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
- The judge cited evidence and arguments in denying the retrial.
- Anthony's attorneys plan to appeal the decision.
- Jurors had previously rejected Anthony's self-defense claims.
A Texas judge has denied a request for a new trial for Karmelo Anthony, who was convicted of murder in the stabbing death of a 17-year-old athlete at a high school track meet. Anthony, 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prison in June for the April 2025 killing of Austin Metcalf.
Judge Michael Chitty denied the motion for a retrial in a brief order, stating it followed a review of the evidence and arguments presented during a two-day hearing. The judge did not provide further elaboration.
Anthony's legal team, led by attorney Russell Wilson, has indicated their intention to appeal the decision, vowing to continue advocating for their client. Prosecutor Bill Wirskye and Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis defended the original trial as fair and expressed confidence in the jury's guilty verdict, while acknowledging the right to appeal and extending thoughts to the victim's family.
Additional grounds for the retrial request included claims that trial judge John Roach imposed overly strict courtroom rules that limited public access and that Roach gave a post-trial interview to a Dallas TV station stating the jury "got it right." Roach maintained his rules were necessary for a fair trial, and prosecutors asserted he acted appropriately.
The case garnered significant public attention, partly due to social media posts that framed the killing in racial terms, with Anthony being Black and Metcalf being white. However, both prosecution and defense attorneys had informed the jury that race was not a factor in the case. Jurors had previously rejected Anthony's claims of self-defense during the confrontation.