A Texas judge denied Karmelo Anthony's motion for a new trial in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet, leaving his 35-year prison sentence intact.
Retired District Judge Michael Chitty issued a half-page order Saturday rejecting the defense bid after a two-day hearing near Dallas, citing a review of the evidence and arguments but offering no further explanation. The ruling keeps Anthony's murder conviction firmly in place and sends the case toward a direct appeal.
Anthony, 19, was convicted of murder on June 9 for the April 2025 killing of Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco, a Dallas suburb. Jurors rejected his self-defense claim and sentenced him to 35 years in prison after deliberating just two-and-a-half hours during the sentencing phase, according to Just The News.
The case has drawn intense national attention, and Saturday's ruling closes the most immediate legal avenue Anthony's defense team had to overturn the verdict.
Anthony's attorney, Russell Wilson, built his retrial bid on three arguments. First, Wilson claimed prosecutors and the original trial defense team had reached an off-the-record agreement to exclude damaging character evidence about both teenagers. The defense alleged prosecutors threatened to break that agreement, triggering a heated dispute between lawyers that altered the defense strategy and ultimately kept Anthony off the witness stand.
That claim carried particular weight after disturbing evidence kept from the jury came to light. The New York Post reported that the excluded material included a 2023 text message in which Anthony threatened to "shoot the school up." Jurors never saw it.
Second, the defense argued that trial judge John Roach imposed courtroom rules so strict they limited public access to the proceedings. Third, Wilson sought Roach's recusal based on a post-trial television interview in which Roach told a Dallas TV station he agreed with the jury's guilty verdict.
Roach's comment, "Whatever they say, they got it right", became a focal point during the hearing. Fox News reported that Judge Chitty reviewed the full court record, evidence, and relevant case law before issuing his denial. Roach himself maintained his courtroom rules were necessary for a fair trial, and prosecutors argued he did nothing wrong.
Prosecutor Bill Wirskye defended the trial as fair during the two-day hearing. Judge Chitty apparently agreed, though his half-page order gave the public no window into his reasoning.
The stabbing that started it all took place at a high school track meet in Frisco in April 2025. Both Anthony and Metcalf were athletes at different Frisco high schools. Anthony sat under a tent belonging to Metcalf's team. Metcalf and others repeatedly told him to leave.
A police report stated that Anthony reached inside a bag and said, "Touch me and see what happens." Witnesses testified that Metcalf pushed Anthony. Anthony then stabbed Metcalf in the chest with a knife. The 17-year-old died.
At trial, Anthony admitted to the stabbing but argued it was self-defense. The jury disagreed. They also rejected a "sudden passion" claim that would have reduced his sentence, National Review reported.
The week-long trial in Collin County ended with the murder conviction and the 35-year sentence. Anthony began serving that sentence in isolation at the Collin County Jail.
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis issued a statement after the ruling that left little ambiguity about his office's position. Willis told the Associated Press:
"We respect, and expected, the court's decision denying the motion for a new trial. The jury's guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process. 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."
Wilson, Anthony's attorney, struck a different tone but acknowledged the road ahead. He said in a statement:
"Our commitment to our client has not changed. We will continue to advocate vigorously on his behalf through every lawful avenue available."
A civil rights legal team has joined the appeal effort, and the case now moves to the appellate level. But the conviction and 35-year sentence remain in place for now.
The revelation that jurors never heard about Anthony's 2023 text threatening to "shoot the school up" raised uncomfortable questions about what the jury was and was not allowed to consider. The defense argued the exclusion of character evidence about both teenagers was the product of a mutual agreement between lawyers, one that broke down before trial and, the defense contends, warped the proceedings.
The case also drew attention for the racial tensions that surrounded it. Jeff Metcalf, Austin's father, accused protesters led by Capitol riot participant Jake Lang of being "race baiters," according to National Review. The court's post-conviction release of video and audio evidence added further fuel to public debate about the case.
Anthony's mother, Kayla Hayes, spoke during the sentencing phase. "He's my oldest, he's my firstborn. He will always be my baby. I love him very much," she told the court.
None of that changed the outcome. A jury heard the evidence, weighed the self-defense claim, and convicted Anthony of murder. A second judge reviewed the record and found no reason to give him another chance. Anthony's parents have rejected the verdict and vowed to fight, but the legal system, so far, has spoken clearly.
A 17-year-old is dead, a jury delivered its verdict, and two judges have now agreed the trial was fair. At some point, accountability has to mean something.
