A Texas judge on Saturday denied a motion for a new trial for 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony, who was convicted of murder in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf. Judge Michael Chitty issued a half-page order following a two-day hearing held this week near Dallas, stating that he had reviewed the evidence and arguments in the case.
The case stems from an April 1, 2025, confrontation in the stadium bleachers during a high school track meet outside of Dallas. Anthony, who was 17 at the time of the incident, was convicted by a jury in June. Jurors rejected Anthony’s claims of self-defense regarding the death of Metcalf, who was a fellow student and athlete.
Defense attorney Russell Wilson argued for a retrial based on the courtroom rules set by the original trial judge, John Roach. Wilson contended that these rules were overly strict and limited public access to the legal proceedings. Additionally, the defense requested Roach's recusal, citing a post-trial television interview where the judge stated the jury "got it right." Judge Roach maintained his rules were necessary for a fair trial, and prosecutors argued the judge had acted correctly.
The legal proceedings have drawn public attention due to social media posts that discussed the case in racial terms, as Anthony is Black and Metcalf was white. During the trial, however, both the prosecution and defense stated to the jury that race was not a factor in the case. Following the conviction, Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
The scale of this case involves a multi-year legal process and a long-term prison sentence. Anthony’s 35-year term means he will face decades of confinement unless the verdict is overturned by a higher court. The proceedings have also touched on judicial conduct and courtroom access, as the defense’s motion centered on whether Judge Roach’s restrictions and public comments impacted the fairness of the initial trial.
A person following this case would notice that the immediate result of the Saturday ruling is the continuation of Anthony's current prison status. There will be no immediate change to his sentence or the trial verdict. The knock-on effect of this ruling is that it sets the stage for an appeal in the Texas court system, which could take months or years to resolve. Defense attorney Russell Wilson confirmed that the defense will continue to advocate for Anthony through all lawful avenues, meaning the case will now move to an appellate court for further review. No specific dates for future hearings were reported.