A Texas district judge rejected a motion for a new trial submitted by lawyers representing 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony. In June, a Collin County jury convicted Anthony of murder and handed down a 35-year prison sentence following the fatal April 2025 stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a suburban Dallas high school track meet. Retired Judge Michael Chitty issued a brief half-page order confirming the original outcome after presiding over two days of evidentiary hearings.
The petition for a retrial focused heavily on claims that prosecutors breached an informal, off-the-record arrangement designed to exclude damaging character evidence concerning both teenagers. According to the defense, concerns that the state would violate this unwritten deal prompted a last-minute change in courtroom strategy, resulting in Anthony waiving his right to testify in support of a self-defense claim. Additionally, appellate attorneys cited strict courtroom attendance limitations and noted that the original trial judge, Judge John Roach Jr., had recently been recused after granting a post-trial television interview in which he remarked, “Whatever they say, they got it right.”
Throughout the proceeding, prosecutors maintained that the trial was conducted fairly and that Anthony acted as the primary aggressor during the rainy altercation beneath a team shelter tent. State attorneys presented evidence that witnesses heard Anthony warn, “Touch me and see what happens,” before pulling out a knife and stabbing Metcalf in the chest after a physical push. Though the case ignited severe online debate and harassment due to racial dynamics, attorneys on both sides emphasized to jurors that race did not play a role in the incident itself.
In the wake of the decision, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis issued a public statement, saying, “We respect, and expected, the court’s decision denying the motion for a new trial”. Willis added, “The jury’s guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process. Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family in the painful wake of last week’s hearing”.
Defense counsel confirmed that they intend to challenge the ruling immediately. Appellate attorney Russell Wilson declared that his team will bring the matter before the Fifth Court of Appeals, stating, “We respectfully disagree with the ruling and remain firmly committed to protecting our client’s rights”. Wilson emphasized that “The denial of our motion does not end this case” and affirmed, “Our commitment to our client has not changed. We will continue to advocate vigorously on his behalf through every lawful avenue available”.
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