A Texas judge has dealt Karmelo Anthony a major legal setback after denying his request for a new trial in the high-profile murder case involving the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf.
Retired District Judge Michael Chitty rejected Anthony’s motion on Saturday, August 22, following a two-day hearing in Collin County. The decision means Anthony’s murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence remain in place while his attorneys prepare to pursue an appeal.
Anthony, 19, was convicted in June 2026 for killing Metcalf during a confrontation at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025. Jurors rejected Anthony’s argument that he acted in self-defense and found him guilty of murder.
His new legal team had asked the court to throw out the conviction and order another trial, raising several concerns about how the original proceedings were handled.
Among the defense’s arguments was an alleged off-the-record “gentleman’s agreement” between prosecutors and Anthony’s former attorneys regarding potentially damaging information that would be kept away from the jury. Anthony’s lawyers argued that uncertainty surrounding that agreement affected the defense strategy, including his decision not to testify.
The defense also challenged strict courtroom restrictions imposed during the original trial, claiming they limited public access to proceedings.
The judge who presided over Anthony’s trial, John Roach Jr., had already been removed from handling the post-trial proceedings after the defense questioned his impartiality. The challenge followed a television interview in which Roach defended aspects of the trial and said the jury had reached the correct decision.
Despite those arguments, Judge Chitty denied the request for a retrial after reviewing the record, evidence and legal arguments presented by both sides. His order did not provide an extensive explanation for the ruling.
Anthony’s attorney Russell Wilson has indicated that the legal battle is far from over, confirming that the defense intends to appeal.
For now, however, the jury’s murder verdict stands, leaving Karmelo Anthony facing decades behind bars as his attorneys turn their attention to the next stage of the appeals process.
