Karmelo Anthony’s New Legal Team Seeks New Judge and Trial
- Anthony's new lawyers file motions for a new trial and removal of the presiding judge.
- Defense claims Anthony's constitutional rights were violated, including lack of public access and interference with testimony.
- Judge Roach's post-verdict comments are cited as evidence of bias, potentially influencing future rulings.
Karmelo Anthony’s new legal team is pushing to overturn his murder conviction, filing motions that seek both a new trial and the removal of the judge who presided over the case.
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The filings come just weeks after Anthony was convicted of first-degree murder and 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, in April 2025.
Anthony’s new attorneys, who recently joined the case and are reportedly representing him pro bono, include veteran appellate lawyer Russell Wilson, Texas NAACP President Gary Bledsoe, and civil rights attorney Brooke Cluse of Ben Crump Law. The team was assembled with the goal of challenging Anthony’s conviction on appeal.
In court documents, the defense argues that Anthony did not receive a fair trial because his constitutional rights were violated. Among their claims is that the proceedings were not fully accessible to the public. They also allege prosecutors interfered with Anthony’s ability to testify in his own defense.
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Beyond seeking a new trial, the attorneys are asking that Judge John Roach be removed from any future proceedings involving the case. According to the defense, comments Roach made in media interviews after the verdict create the appearance of bias and make it difficult for him to remain impartial.
During one interview, Roach said he believed the jury reached the correct verdict because jurors followed the law and carefully considered the evidence presented in court. He also described Anthony as someone who “seems like a nice young man” but said he would have to live with the consequences of his actions.
The defense argues those public statements effectively endorsed the jury’s decision and could influence future rulings if Roach remains assigned to the case.
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Anthony filed his notice of appeal less than a day after he was convicted. In the filing, he described himself as unable to afford legal representation, despite his family previously raising more than $625,000 through crowdfunding to help cover legal expenses and living costs.
The case stems from an altercation during a rain delay at a high school track meet. Prosecutors said Anthony remained inside Austin Metcalf’s team tent after being asked to leave. Witnesses testified that after Metcalf pushed Anthony, Anthony pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the chest. Metcalf died in the arms of his twin brother.
Anthony’s trial attorneys argued he acted in self-defense, but the jury rejected that claim, returning a guilty verdict after just over two hours of deliberation.
The court has not yet ruled on the new motions, leaving Anthony’s appeal in its early stages.
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