Karmelo Anthony has been denied a new trial after being convicted of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet.
The 19-year-old was convicted of murder back in June and sentenced to 35 years in prison.
His lawyers argued that courtroom restrictions and a disputed agreement between prosecutors and his original defence team had violated his rights.
Those arguments fell upon deaf ears.
Retired District Judge Michael Chitty rejected the application on Saturday following a two-day hearing in Collin County, Texas.
‘Upon reviewing the motion, the record, the evidence and argument, the briefs, and the relevant case law, the Court has determined that the motion should be denied,’ he wrote. ‘It is therefore considered, ordered, and adjudged by the Court that the Motion for New Trial is denied.’
Anthony stabbed Metcalf once in the chest during a confrontation at a school track meet in Frisco in April 2025. The two teenagers attended different schools and hadn’t known each other before the encounter.
Witnesses said that Anthony had been sitting beneath a tent belonging to Metcalf’s team and was repeatedly asked to leave. According to testimony, their argument escalated before Metcalf pushed Anthony. Anthony then pulled out a knife and stabbed him.
Anthony maintained that he had acted in self-defence, but prosecutors described him as the aggressor. Jurors rejected his account and convicted him of murder.
His new legal team sought a retrial partly because of a so-called ‘gentleman’s agreement’ made before the original proceedings.
The off-the-record arrangement between prosecutors and Anthony’s trial lawyers was intended to keep damaging character evidence about both teenagers away from the jury.
The case had already generated intense national attention, racially charged online commentary and threats against people involved. Anthony is black and Metcalf was white, although lawyers on both sides told jurors that the killing wasn’t about race.
Under the informal agreement, prosecutors withheld evidence concerning Anthony’s interest in guns and knives and messages he had previously sent about violence.
The defence, meanwhile, didn’t introduce allegations that Metcalf had used racist language, bullied black classmates and been involved in fights. Those claims didn’t form part of the evidence considered by the murder jury.
Anthony’s appellate lawyers argued that a last-minute dispute over whether the agreement would still apply if he gave evidence caused him to abandon plans to testify. Toby Shook, one of his trial lawyers, told the hearing: ‘It was essential that the jury hear Karmelo and hear his explanation.’
Prosecutor Bill Wirskye maintained that the possibility of Anthony testifying hadn’t formed part of the original agreement. He defended the trial as fair and said numerous witnesses had testified that the killing wasn’t an act of self-defence.
Anthony’s lawyers also challenged strict courtroom rules imposed by Judge John Roach, who presided over the murder trial.
They argued that restrictions on public access and discussions conducted outside the formal court record had denied Anthony a fair and open trial. Prosecutors said the security measures were necessary because of threats, attempts to intimidate witnesses and the extraordinary amount of attention surrounding the case across the US.
Roach was removed from the post-trial proceedings after Anthony’s lawyers argued that his impartiality could reasonably be questioned. Their application cited a television interview in which Roach was asked whether the jury had reached the right verdict. ‘Yeah, they did,’ he replied, adding: ‘Whatever they say, they got it right.’
Visiting Judge Sid Harle said he believed Roach would act fairly but ruled that his impartiality ‘might reasonably be questioned’. Chitty was subsequently appointed to consider Anthony’s application for a new trial.
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said prosecutors had expected the application to be rejected. ‘The jury’s guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process,’ he said. ‘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.’
Anthony’s lawyer Russell Wilson said the defence would continue its challenge through the appeals court. ‘Our commitment to our client has not changed,’ he said. ‘We will continue to advocate vigorously on his behalf through every lawful avenue available.’
