Karmelo Anthony’s attorney asks judge for new trial in Texas track meet killing

Karmelo Anthony’s Attorney Asks Judge for New Trial

Goldlaner.com – Karmelo Anthony’s attorney asks a newly appointed judge to overturn a 35-year prison sentence, arguing that procedural errors during the original trial deprived the defendant of a fair proceeding. Russell Wilson, who represents Anthony on appeal but did not handle the criminal trial itself, told Judge Michael Chitty Thursday that prosecutors failed to honor an off-the-record agreement and that the original judge maintained a “shadow docket” that kept critical information away from the courtroom record.

“Everything was done off the record, at an astonishing clip,” Wilson said. The motion comes one day after a separate ruling removed Judge John Roach from the case. Roach, who presided over the June trial, was recused after Anthony’s legal team highlighted a television interview in which he told a Dallas station that jurors “got it right” when they returned a guilty verdict. Chitty was then assigned to consider the retrial motion.

Background: The Track-Meet Stabbing

Anthony, now 19, was convicted of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet last spring. Witnesses described a heated exchange over Anthony’s refusal to leave a tent belonging to Metcalf’s team — the Memorial High School tent perched in the stadium bleachers — on a rainy day. Metcalf and others repeatedly told Anthony to move, witnesses testified, and the confrontation escalated. At one point Anthony reached inside a bag and replied, “Touch me and see what happens,” according to a police report. Metcalf pushed Anthony, witnesses said, and Anthony then pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the chest.

Prosecutor Bill Wirskye argued Thursday that Anthony received a fair trial and that his own attorneys had agreed to every procedural decision made during the proceedings. In seeking a new trial, however, Anthony’s attorneys contend that strict courtroom rules and improper jury instructions marred the June trial. They also say Anthony’s decision not to testify followed a dispute with prosecutors over an agreement to focus the trial on events leading up to the stabbing. Jurors rejected Anthony’s self-defense claim.

The case drew national attention after a wave of social media posts framed the killing in racial terms. Anthony is Black; Metcalf was white. Lawyers on both sides told jurors the tragedy had nothing to do with race, and both families said they had been targets of harassment as online attention intensified.

“Yeah, they did. Whatever they say, they got it right.” — Judge John Roach, in a Dallas TV interview played during the recusal hearing

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Karmelo Anthony’s attorney ask for a new trial?

Wilson cited a “shadow docket” that kept information out of the trial record, alleged failure by prosecutors to follow through on an off-the-record agreement, strict courtroom rules, and improper jury instructions. He also pointed to Anthony’s decision not to testify, which he says followed a dispute over the scope of the trial.

What happened to the original judge?

Judge John Roach was removed from the case on Wednesday after Anthony’s legal team played a TV interview in which Roach defended the jury verdict and his courtroom conduct. Judge Michael Chitty was subsequently assigned to consider the retrial motion.

What sentence did Anthony receive?

Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison after jurors rejected his self-defense argument and found him guilty of fatally stabbing Metcalf at the track meet.