Karmelo Anthony seeks retrial and judge’s removal

FRISCO, Texas - Karmelo Anthony’s defense team has filed new motions seeking a retrial and the judge’s removal from the case.

CONTINUED COVERAGE: Frisco Track Meet Stabbing

Karmelo Anthony Appeal

Anthony was convicted of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet. The 19-year-old was then sentenced to 35 years in prison.

As part of his routine appeals process, Anthony’s family hired a new legal team led by Attorney Russell Wilson. 

The group agreed to work pro bono on the case because Anthony said he had no money to pay for attorney fees while filing his appeals.

Defense Motions Filed

Anthony’s lawyers announced they have filed a verified motion to recuse, requesting that Collin County Judge John Roach be removed from overseeing any appeal efforts.

The defense also filed a motion for a new trial, raising constitutional and legal challenges stemming from the trial. 

They requested that those issues be decided by an independent judge, according to a news release.

Grounds for Recusal

In the grounds for recusal, Anthony’s lawyers said Judge Roach made comments to news reporters following the trial and "expressed personal opinions about the propriety and correctness of the jury's verdict, the fairness of the trial and the correctness of the judge's own rulings during the trial."

When a reporter asked Roach if the jury got it right, he responded, "Yeah, they did." The judge then reportedly explained himself and talked about his rulings.

One of those rulings was on the dismissal of three Black potential jurors. Roach told the reporter he "followed the law in that case" and "did it to a T," that he was "proud of that," and that although he "knew in the back of [his] mind what the perception was gonna be," he was "not here to satisfy perceptions."

Regarding cameras in the courtroom, Roach gave a statement to FOX News that said, "I understood the public’s desire to know what happened in the courtroom. The overwhelming focus on my ruling regarding the media in courtroom was to protect the process, witnesses, and jury. Now that the trial is over, it is important to me to provide transparency."

The defense argued that the judge’s personal views would suggest his probable decision on a motion for a new trial.

Grounds for a New Trial

When asking for a new trial, the defense’s motion doesn’t argue that Anthony is innocent. Instead, it argues that his trial was conducted in a way that violated his constitutional rights. The 63-page motion makes four main arguments.

It points to the trial being effectively closed to the public, with no media cameras allowed in the courtroom and only 27 seats available to the public. The motion claims that’s a violation of Anthony’s Sixth Amendment right to a public trial.

The defense claims that prosecutors did not honor an off-the-record evidentiary agreement that kept character and extraneous-act evidence out of the trial. According to the motion, prosecutors asserted on the final day of testimony that the agreement wouldn’t cover Anthony’s testimony. That forced him to choose between testifying and exposing himself to damaging evidence, the defense argues.

Another point raised in the motion is about jury instructions. The legal team claims the instructions were made in a way that made it difficult for the jury to consider Anthony acting in self-defense.

Last, the motion claims that the cumulative effect of all these alleged errors warrants a new trial.

What Happens Next?

These two motions are pretty standard procedure following a conviction.

Judge Roach is expected to refer the motion for recusal to the regional administrative judge. That judge can set a hearing on the merits of this motion.

Frisco Track Meet Stabbing

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.

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, was released by a Collin County judge last month.

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