FRISCO, TEXAS — A Texas judge has rejected Karmelo Anthony’s request for a new trial, dealing a major setback to the 19-year-old as he continues fighting his murder conviction in the fatal stabbing of high school athlete Austin Metcalf.

Anthony was convicted in June for the deadly confrontation during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, and sentenced to 35 years in prison. His legal team argued that serious errors during the original trial denied him a fair chance to defend himself, but the court ruled that the conviction will remain in place.

Judge Says the Guilty Verdict Will Stand
Judge Michael Chitty, who took over the post-trial proceedings after the original trial judge was removed from the case, issued a brief order denying Anthony’s motion for a new trial.

The ruling came after a two-day hearing where Anthony’s attorneys presented arguments that they believed justified overturning the conviction.

Judge Chitty did not provide a lengthy explanation in the written order, stating only that he had reviewed the evidence and the legal arguments before denying the request.

The decision means Anthony’s murder conviction and prison sentence remain unchanged for now.

The Defense Claimed the Trial Was Unfair
Anthony’s lawyers argued that prosecutors broke an informal agreement made before trial.

According to the defense, both sides had agreed not to introduce damaging character evidence involving either Anthony or Austin Metcalf so the jury would focus only on what happened during the confrontation at the track meet.

The defense said prosecutors changed course during trial, creating uncertainty about what evidence could be introduced.

Anthony’s attorneys argued that this unexpected dispute changed their trial strategy and ultimately influenced Anthony’s decision not to testify in his own defense. They claimed his testimony would have been central to his argument that he acted in self-defense.

Prosecutors Denied Breaking Any Agreement
Prosecutors strongly disputed the defense’s claims.

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said the trial was conducted fairly and ethically.

During the hearing, prosecutors argued that there was no enforceable agreement preventing the introduction of certain evidence and that the defense opened the door to disputed material through its own trial strategy.

Following Judge Chitty’s ruling, Willis said he remained confident in the jury’s verdict and in the fairness of the judicial process.

New Evidence Emerged During the Hearing
Although the jury never heard it during the original trial, the retrial hearing revealed previously undisclosed information about both teenagers.

Defense attorneys said prosecutors had agreed not to present allegations involving Anthony’s personal history, including accusations involving a former girlfriend and violent messages.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, disclosed records involving Metcalf that included allegations of racist graffiti and other disciplinary incidents.

None of that evidence was presented to the original jury because both sides wanted to avoid shifting the trial away from the events of the stabbing itself.

The hearing made those previously hidden allegations public for the first time, but Judge Chitty concluded they did not justify granting a new trial.

The Original Judge Was Removed From the Case
Before the retrial hearing even began, Anthony’s legal team scored one significant legal victory.

State District Judge John Roach Jr., who presided over Anthony’s original murder trial, was removed from handling the post-trial proceedings.

The defense argued Roach’s impartiality could reasonably be questioned after he gave a television interview following the conviction in which he defended several of his courtroom decisions.

A visiting judge agreed that those public comments created an appearance of possible bias and assigned Judge Michael Chitty to hear Anthony’s motion instead.

That ruling did not overturn Anthony’s conviction, but it changed who would decide the request for a new trial.

The Fatal Track Meet Stabbing
The case stems from April 2, 2025, during a UIL district track meet at David Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco.

Investigators said Austin Metcalf, 17, confronted Anthony after Anthony was sitting under Memorial High School’s team tent.

Witnesses testified that Anthony was asked to leave before the argument escalated.

Anthony admitted stabbing Metcalf during the confrontation but argued he acted in self-defense after Metcalf pushed him.

Metcalf died at the scene from a stab wound to the chest.

Jurors rejected Anthony’s self-defense claim after hearing testimony from eyewitnesses and reviewing physical evidence.

A Case That Drew National Attention
The case quickly became one of the country’s most closely followed criminal trials.

Anthony is Black.

Metcalf was white.

The racial dynamics fueled intense online debate, protests and misinformation, even though attorneys for both sides repeatedly told jurors that race was not part of the legal question before the court.

Authorities also reported threats against members of both families, judges and court personnel as public attention intensified.

The courtroom later operated under increased security because of those threats.

Anthony’s Lawyers Say the Fight Is Not Over
Although the motion for a new trial was denied, Anthony’s legal team says it will continue appealing.

Attorney Russell Wilson said the defense remains committed to pursuing every available legal option.

The next step is expected to be an appeal before the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas, where Anthony’s attorneys plan to challenge both the original trial and the judge’s decision denying a retrial.

Legal experts say that appeals process could take many months and may not be heard until 2027.

The Metcalf Family Responds
After the ruling, prosecutors said their thoughts remained with Austin Metcalf’s family.

Austin’s family has continued advocating for conflict resolution programs in schools following his death.

His father has previously spoken publicly against attempts to use his son’s death to deepen racial divisions, saying he wanted people to focus on preventing violence rather than creating more hatred.

The Case Now Moves to the Appeals Court
Judge Chitty’s decision closes one chapter of the legal battle but not the entire case.

Anthony remains convicted of murder and continues serving his 35-year prison sentence while his attorneys prepare the next stage of the appeal.

The appeals court will review transcripts from both the original trial and the recent hearing before deciding whether any legal errors warrant further action.

For now, however, the jury’s verdict remains unchanged.

Karmelo Anthony’s request for a new trial has been denied, but his legal team says the fight to overturn the conviction is far from over.

Sources: The Guardian: Details of the defense’s retrial arguments and prosecutors’ response.