Karmelo Anthony case back in the spotlight as defense seeks new trial, new judge
FRISCO, Texas - Hearings begin this week in the high-profile Frisco track meet stabbing case as attorneys for Karmelo Anthony seek a new judge and a new trial.
The Next Generation Action Network held a news conference on Monday urging the public to stay engaged in the court proceedings, starting with a hearing on whether Judge John Roach should be recused from the case going forward.
Karmelo Anthony Recusal Hearing and Retrial Effort
What we know:
Judge John Roach presided over Karmelo Anthony's murder trial in June.
Following the trial, Judge Roach said in an interview that he believes the trial was fair to both sides, despite there being no Black jurors on the jury.
From early on, social media has swirled with speculation about the influence of race in the case. Anthony, the defendant, is Black, and the victim, Austin Metcalf, was white.
Anthony's attorneys claim that tight restrictions on public access to the trial violated his civil rights.
On Wednesday, visiting Judge Sid Harle, who served as the judge in the first Uvalde school shooting trial, will travel to McKinney to weigh the arguments and evidence regarding the recusal effort.
If Roach is recused on Wednesday, another judge will sit over Thursday’s hearing for a new trial. If Roach is not recused, Anthony's new lawyers must present their arguments seeking a new trial before the same judge who stated he believed the initial trial was fair.
Thursday’s hearing could feature new facts and testimony that have not been previously made public.
What they're saying:
Next Generation Action Network founder Dominique Alexander called on community members to attend the proceedings peacefully.
"Not with hate, not with violence, not with threats, not with attacks of anyone. Come with discipline, come peacefully, come prepared to respect the courtroom and the proceedings," Alexander said. "Come because we believe that a justice system deserves witnesses."
Attorney Anthony Farmer, who is not involved in the case, said he’s worked on cases where judges were recused.
"It's usually for the judge's inability to be impartial, either comments made like in this instance or conduct over time that shows the judge lacks the ability to be fair and impartial in the case," Farmer said.
What's next:
While the two hearings this week will be open to the public for observation, no cameras will be allowed in the courtroom. FOX 4 is planning to share live updates from reporters and sketches from an artist inside the courtroom.
If the defense does not obtain a recusal or a new trial through these hearings, attorneys could appeal the recusal results and rulings to the Court of Criminal Appeals.
Frisco Track Meet Stabbing
Frisco Track Meet Stabbing Special
A stabbing at a Frisco track meet turned into a national story. With social media fanning the flames, the death of Austin Metcalf and arrest of Karmelo Anthony touched on several hot button issues including bail reform, misinformation and race. FOX 4 reporters who have covered the story from the beginning discuss this case and how it has been different from others they have covered in the past.
A Collin County jury found Anthony guilty of first-degree murder in connection with 17-year-old Austin Metcalf's fatal stabbing on April 2, 2025.
Witnesses reported that Anthony stabbed Metcalf in the chest with a pocketknife during a seating dispute during a regional track meet.
Anthony was a student at Centennial High School but was sitting under the Memorial High School tent. Metcalf reportedly told him to leave.
Karmelo Anthony sentenced to 35 years in prison
A Collin County jury has sentenced Karmelo Anthony to 35 years in prison after finding him guilty of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a 2025 Frisco track meet. FOX 4 reporters who were on site at the Collin County courthouse recap the emotional conviction and sentencing.
There was no evidence that the two young men knew each other.
Anthony has since been transported to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, where he was then transported to his unit of assignment at the Pack Unit near Navasota.
Evidence from the trial, including security and police body camera video, has since been released by a Collin County judge.
WATCH: Karmelo Anthony trial evidence released by Collin County judge
Evidence from the Karmelo Anthony murder trial was released by a Collin County judge on Friday night, including police body camera footage of Anthony's arrest.
The Source: The information in story comes from a conference held by the Next Generation Action Network, an interview with Attorney Anthony Farmer, and past news coverage.