A Texas judge has denied Karmelo Anthony’s request for a new trial, leaving his murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence in place.
Retired Kaufman County District Judge Michael Chitty issued the decision Saturday following a two-day hearing in Collin County. Anthony’s attorneys argued that problems surrounding an off-the-record agreement between the prosecution and defense prevented him from receiving a fair trial.
The agreement reportedly limited the introduction of damaging character evidence involving both Anthony and Austin Metcalf. Defense attorneys maintained that uncertainty over whether prosecutors would continue honoring that agreement affected their trial strategy and contributed to Anthony’s decision not to testify.
Prosecutors disputed the defense’s characterization of what happened and maintained that Anthony received a fair trial. Chitty denied the motion after reviewing the testimony, evidence and legal arguments presented during the hearing. His brief order did not provide a detailed explanation for the decision.
Anthony, now 19, was convicted of murder on June 9 and sentenced to 35 years in prison. The case arose from the April 2025 fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, near Dallas.
Witnesses testified that the confrontation began when Anthony took shelter beneath a tent assigned to Metcalf’s track team. Anthony’s attorneys argued that he acted in self-defense, but the jury rejected that claim.
The original trial judge, John Roach Jr., was removed from handling the new-trial proceedings after giving a television interview in which he defended his courtroom decisions and expressed support for the jury’s verdict. Chitty was subsequently assigned to consider the motion.
The case has generated national attention and intense discussion about race, self-defense and the fairness of the criminal-justice process. Anthony is Black and Metcalf was white, although attorneys on both sides have said race was not a factor in the confrontation.
Anthony’s appellate attorney, Russell Wilson, said the legal team intends to continue challenging the conviction through the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas.
