Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images News / Getty Images
A Texas judge has denied a request for a new trial for Karmelo Anthony, who is serving a 35-year sentence for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in April 2025. Retired Kaufman County District Judge Michael Chitty issued the ruling on Saturday, rejecting claims that a "gentleman's agreement" between trial attorneys compromised Anthony's ability to testify.
Anthony's legal team argued that he acted in self-defense during the altercation at Kuykendall Stadium in Frisco. They claimed that an informal agreement with prosecutors, meant to exclude certain character evidence, was violated, affecting Anthony's decision to testify. The defense also contended that courtroom restrictions during the trial violated Anthony's Sixth Amendment rights.
Prosecutors maintained that the stabbing was "unjustified" and a "plain and simple murder." They argued that the agreement was intended to focus on the facts of the case and protect both sides from damaging character evidence. According to ABC News, the defense's claims were dismissed by the judge, who upheld the original conviction and sentence.
The case has drawn significant attention, with debates over race and legal fairness. Anthony, who is Black, and Metcalf, who was white, were involved in a confrontation that ended in Metcalf's death. The incident sparked discussions about race, though both sides in the trial stated that race was not a factor in the altercation.
The ruling leaves Anthony's conviction intact, but his legal team plans to appeal the decision. The case will now proceed to the Fifth Court of Appeals. KVUE reported that Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis expressed confidence in the trial process and extended condolences to the Metcalf family.