Karmelo Anthony's legal team is seeking a new trial and the recusal of a state judge a month after a Texas jury convicted the 19-year-old of murder and sentenced him to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf, 17, at a track meet in 2025.
Defense Alleges Prosecutorial Misconduct
In a Tuesday motion, Anthony's defense attorneys argued that their client's conviction should be overturned because prosecutors coerced him into waiving his right to testify, among other reasons. The defense lawyers accused prosecutors of breaking a promise to build their cases only on what happened under the tent that day, rather than any extraneous-conduct evidence regarding either Metcalf or Anthony's characters and reputations.
According to the defense team's court filing, the two sides reached this agreement after several off-the-record calls. It was unwritten and not explicitly referred to in court filings to avoid any media reporting about any alleged prior misdeeds regarding both teenagers. Abiding by this agreement, the lawyers said they did not further question students on the stand about recorded statements to police regarding Metcalf's alleged temperament.
Prosecutors Allegedly Opened Door to Character Evidence
On the final day of evidence, according to Anthony's attorneys, prosecutors said a detail about their client playing chess in the opening statement opened the door to character-related evidence. Anthony opted not to testify due to a court advisory that his testimony would almost certainly open the door to the extraneous-offence evidence.
Anthony's lawyers also claimed their client's constitutional right to a public trial was violated by restrictions on camera and streaming access, and that the jury was improperly advised to disregard Anthony's self-defense claim. On a record in which self-defense was the heart of the case, that error was not harmless, and it requires a new trial, the lawyers wrote in the motion.
Racial Dimensions and National Attention
The deadly encounter, which occurred in Frisco, a suburb 28 miles (45km) north of Dallas, drew national attention and stoked online debate over the perceived racial dimensions – Anthony is Black, Metcalf was white – particularly among conservative media. The far-right influencer Jake Lang and his controversial group, Protect White Americans, staged protests in Frisco, touting racist narratives about how the episode was emblematic of a violent Black culture. He was banned from entering Texas last month, after allegedly making a terroristic threat against Anthony.
During jury selection, the case once again generated attention after three African-American individuals were struck from the jury. Prosecutors denied the move was related to race and said it had to do with their background as educators. No Black jurors were selected for the murder trial.
Prosecutor's Office Response
The Collin county district attorney's office did not reply to a request for comment about the lawyer's assertions on Tuesday evening. After a jury handed down the 35-year prison sentence, the county district attorney said justice was served at a news conference, standing alongside the Metcalf family.
