KARMELO ANTHONY’S ATTORNEYS SEEK NEW TRIAL, REQUEST JUDGE’S REMOVAL IN FRISCO STABBING CASE
- Jul 7
- 1 min read
FRISCO, Texas — Attorneys representing Karmelo Anthony have filed motions seeking a new trial and the removal of the judge who presided over his murder case following his conviction in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf.
Anthony, now 19, was convicted last month in connection with the 2025 stabbing of Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
According to court filings, Anthony’s new defense team argues that restrictions on courtroom access violated his constitutional right to a public trial. The motions also request that another judge review the case instead of Judge John Roach Jr., who oversaw the original proceedings.
The defense contends that limited public access, restrictions on media attendance, and the lack of an overflow room effectively closed the courtroom to the public without meeting the legal standards required for such restrictions.
The filings also reference objections raised during jury selection after prosecutors struck three prospective Black jurors. Prosecutors maintained the jurors were removed because they were educators, not because of race, and the trial judge allowed the strikes.
The case has received national attention since the fatal stabbing, with both the trial and sentencing drawing significant public interest. The court has not yet ruled on the newly filed motions.
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