Judge John Roach Jr. Removed From Karmelo Anthony’s Case
- Judge Sid Harle granted the defense's request to recuse Judge John Roach Jr. from Anthony's appeal and new trial hearings.
- The defense played an 18-minute recording of Roach's comments, where he said Anthony 'seems like a nice young man who committed a crime'.
- The prosecution disputed claims of an unfair trial, but a new judge will now oversee the next stage of Anthony's legal battle.
A new judge will oversee the next stage of Karmelo Anthony’s legal battle after his defense successfully requested that State District Judge John Roach Jr. be recused from the case.
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Judge Sid Harle, who serves in the Fourth Administrative Judicial Region in San Antonio, heard the defense’s request Wednesday in Collin County. Around 10 a.m., Harle granted the motion, meaning Roach will no longer preside over Anthony’s appeal or the hearings connected to his request for a new trial.
Anthony, 19, was convicted in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf and sentenced to 35 years in prison in June 2026. His defense has maintained that there are issues with how the original trial was handled and is now seeking a new trial as part of the appeals process.
The recusal hearing included an unusual piece of evidence from the defense. Attorneys played an 18-minute recording featuring comments Roach made during an interview about the case. In the recording, Roach discussed the extensive preparation that went into managing the high-profile trial and described himself as a “strict, no-nonsense, fair” judge.
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He also said he believed the jury reached the correct verdict and shared his impression of Anthony.
“I talked to Mr. Anthony a couple of times,” Roach said in the recording. “He seems like a nice young man who committed a crime.”
The prosecution did not strongly oppose the defense’s request. Prosecutor Bill Wirskye told the court, “I’m not sure it’s our job at this point to defend the judge,” while arguing that decisions made during the trial were intended to protect Anthony and his attorneys.
The ruling comes as Anthony’s legal team begins its broader appeal. A group of prominent civil rights and criminal defense attorneys announced in June that they would represent Anthony pro bono.
The defense is expected to argue for a new trial, while prosecutors have pushed back against claims that the original proceedings were unfair.
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Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis has pointed to portions of the trial transcript that he says contradict allegations made by lead defense attorney Mike Howard. Howard’s affidavit claimed prosecutors violated an informal agreement concerning what information could be presented to the jury and that the defense was given limited time during a critical hearing.
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Willis disputes those claims, saying the court record tells a different story. He also pointed to Anthony’s decision not to testify, noting that Anthony was given time to consult with his attorneys and parents before making that choice.
Anthony ultimately told the judge, “I don’t want to testify.”
According to Willis, the prosecution handled the trial fairly and professionally, and he expects Anthony’s appeal to be unsuccessful.
With Roach now recused, however, a different judge will handle the next phase as Anthony’s defense continues its effort to overturn his conviction.
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