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Judge removed from Texas track meet stabbing case during appeal

A Texas judge has been removed from the case of Karmelo Anthony, who is appealing his conviction for a fatal high school track meet stabbing.

Published August 19, 2026 at 12:07 AM EDT

The short answer

A Texas judge has been removed from the case of Karmelo Anthony, who is appealing his conviction for a fatal high school track meet stabbing.

Judge removed from Texas track meet stabbing case during appeal

The Facts

Who
Karmelo Anthony, a judge (name not reported), and Austin Metcalf (deceased).
What
Removal of a trial judge from a criminal case.
When
August 19, 2026
Where
Austin, Texas
Why
The defendant is seeking a new trial and appealing his conviction for the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old athlete.

A trial judge in Texas was ordered to be removed from the case involving Karmelo Anthony, who was convicted of fatally stabbing a 17-year-old athlete at a high school track meet. The order comes as Anthony seeks a new trial and appeals his original conviction. The specific identity of the judge and the court that issued the removal order were not reported.

The case involves a fatal stabbing that occurred at a high school track meet in Austin, Texas. The victim was identified as 17-year-old Austin Metcalf. Anthony was previously tried and convicted for the stabbing, though the specific charges and the date of the original trial were not included in the report.

Legal proceedings are currently focused on Anthony's efforts to overturn his conviction. The removal of the presiding judge occurs as the defense prepares for appellate arguments and a potential retrial. The source did not detail the specific grounds for the judge's removal or provide statements from the prosecution or defense regarding the order.

A person following this case would notice a change in the personnel overseeing the legal proceedings. While the defendant remains convicted, the introduction of a new judge will oversee the motions for a new trial. This could lead to different scheduling or procedural rulings compared to the previous judge. The concrete day-to-day change for the defendant is that their legal future will be decided by a different judicial officer as they pursue an appeal of their conviction.

The decision establishes a new trajectory for the litigation, ensuring that the original trial judge will not preside over the request for a new trial. This move may influence how legal precedents regarding judicial impartiality or trial conduct are applied in this specific instance. The next steps in the case, including the assignment of a new judge and the setting of dates for the appeal or new trial motions, have not yet been reported.

Summaries are written by The Plain Record to state the facts of a story plainly and without political slant. See our editorial standards, or report a correction.

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Questions readers ask

What happened: Judge removed from Texas track meet stabbing case during appeal?

A trial judge in Texas was ordered to be removed from the case involving Karmelo Anthony, who was convicted of fatally stabbing a 17-year-old athlete at a high school track meet. The order comes as Anthony seeks a new trial and appeals his original conviction.

Who is involved?

Karmelo Anthony, a judge (name not reported), and Austin Metcalf (deceased).

When did this happen?

August 19, 2026

Where did this happen?

Austin, Texas

Why does this matter?

The defendant is seeking a new trial and appealing his conviction for the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old athlete.