Choose denies Karmelo Anthony’s request for brand spanking new trial

DALLAS —

A Texas decide denied a brand new trial for Karmelo Anthony on Saturday within the stabbing loss of life of a 17-year-old athlete at a highschool observe meet, a killing that drew nationwide consideration and led to harassment of the households.

Anthony, 19, was convicted of homicide in June and sentenced to 35 years in jail for the April 2025 killing of Austin Metcalf, 17.

Choose Michael Chitty denied the retrial movement in a half-page order following a two-day listening to this week close to Dallas, citing a assessment of the proof and arguments. He didn’t elaborate.

Video above: Newly launched video captures the aftermath of a deadly teen stabbing at a Texas observe meet

Russell Wilson, Anthony’s lawyer, stated the protection would attraction.

“Our dedication to our shopper has not modified,” Wilson stated. “We’ll proceed to advocate vigorously on his behalf by way of each lawful avenue obtainable.”

On the middle of Anthony’s retrial request was an off-the-record settlement between prosecutors and his trial protection workforce to maintain damaging character proof about each youngsters out of the continuing. Either side agreed to carry again proof that risked additional inflaming a case already boiling with racial tensions and loss of life threats.

The case attracted widespread consideration partly due to a flood of social media posts that amplified the killing in racial phrases. Anthony is Black; Metcalf was white. Legal professionals on each side, nonetheless, instructed jurors that the case had nothing to do with race.

However worries that prosecutors would renege on the settlement as Anthony ready to testify, his attorneys say, got here after a heated argument between legal professionals on each side and altered their protection technique on the eleventh hour. Anthony in the end determined to not testify.

Video under: Trial decide in Karmelo Anthony case ordered to be eliminated

Prosecutor Invoice Wirskye defended the trial as honest this week.

“We respect, and anticipated, the courtroom’s resolution denying the movement for a brand new trial,” Collin County District Lawyer Greg Willis stated after the denial was introduced. “The jury’s responsible verdict stands, and we stay assured within the course of. Each defendant has the best to attraction, and our ideas and prayers stay with the Metcalf household within the painful wake of final week’s listening to.”

Anthony’s attorneys additionally demanded a retrial as a result of they stated trial decide John Roach’s courtroom guidelines have been so strict that they restricted the general public’s entry to the proceedings. And in asking for Roach’s recusal, they famous that he gave a posttrial interview with a Dallas TV station during which he expressed settlement with the jury’s resolution.

“No matter they are saying, they obtained it proper,” Roach stated.

Roach stated his guidelines have been essential for a good trial, and prosecutors insisted he did nothing unsuitable.

Jurors rejected Anthony’s claims that he was defending himself throughout a confrontation with Metcalf within the bleachers of the observe meet.

Anthony and Metcalf have been athletes for various excessive faculties within the Dallas suburb of Frisco, the place a number of groups have been competing on the wet spring day when the meet passed off.

Anthony sat below the tent that belonged to Metcalf’s workforce, and Metcalf and others repeatedly instructed him to go away, witnesses testified. That led to an escalating confrontation.

Prosecutors stated Anthony provoked Metcalf, and witnesses recognized Anthony because the aggressor.

At one level, Anthony reached inside a bag and stated: “Contact me and see what occurs,” in accordance with a police report.

Witnesses stated Metcalf pushed Anthony, who pulled out a knife and stabbed him within the chest.