On June 9, a jury deliberated for about three hours and found Karmelo Anthony guilty in the murder of Austin Metcalf. The same jury then deliberated some more and sentenced him to 35 years in prison. As I wrote at the time, the most surprising thing was that it took the jury that long.
...the most remarkable thing about this trial is that there was this much tension given how blatantly obvious and one-sided the evidence was. Anthony admitted guilt moments after the murder. The only question was whether he could claim self-defense and there was zero evidence to support that. And yet, you have protesters outside who act as if this is a miscarriage of justice. It's not at all. This is exactly the outcome everyone of any race should have expected all along.
In Texas, a 35-year sentence meant Anthony would have to serve 17 years before he would become eligible for parole, though of course there's no guarantee he would get parole. But instead of disappearing into the prison system until 2043, Anthony's defense has instead demanded he be given a new trial. They've already succeeded in having the judge who presided over the trial removed from the case.
The Texas judge who presided over Karmelo Anthony's murder trial has been removed from further proceedings in the case, as the teen seeks a new trial...
In the defense motion seeking to recuse Judge John Roach from the post-trial proceedings, Anthony's attorneys questioned both the judge's impartiality in the case and his courtroom restrictions. Ahead of the high-profile trial, Roach imposed a gag order in the case and barred any electronics from the courtroom during the proceedings due to the attention the case had garnered.
The motion cited what it called "problematic comments" Roach made during an interview following the verdict, in which it said the judge "endorsed the jury's guilty verdict" and defended his courtroom restrictions. It also pointed to a public letter Roach released following the trial, in which he stated that those who worked on the case "contributed to ensuring the process was conducted fairly."
The court "made extrajudicial public statements that objectively appear to commit it to the verdict and the challenged access rulings while it still retained authority to decide a timely motion for new trial attacking those very matters," the motion stated.
One of the stated reasons why Judge Roach needed to be removed from the case was because he gave an interview after the trial. Judges aren't supposed to offer opinions before or after a case. But if you actually look at the interview in question, Judge Roach didn't say that the jury got the verdict right because they found Anthony guilty. He was making a statement about the process. "...that the process and so, whatever they say, they get it right." Here's the interview already cued up to the question about whether the jury got it right. Nothing about this shows bias.
Certainly that answer did not show bias. It sounds like the defense is arguing that Judge Roach claims the process that produced the outcome was fair which is the thing the defense is now seeking to challenge. So for that reason, they demanded he be removed. But some news outlets are reporting this as if Judge Roach simply said the jury "got it right," which is not at all what he said.
Nevertheless, there was a small protest/celebration outside the courtroom yesterday.
Protesters rally for Karmelo Anthony after judge removes trial judge from case
— Fox News US (@FoxUSNews) August 19, 2026
Protesters chant outside the Collin County Courthouse after Judge Sid Harle removed Judge John Roach from Anthony’s post-trial case.
(Credit: Derek Shook or Fox News Digital) pic.twitter.com/pv0tMaYWys
Prosecutors are standing by the process and the outcome of the trial.
In a statement to ABC Dallas affiliate WFAA ahead of Wednesday's proceedings, Wirskye said, "The defendant's new lawyers have filed a motion containing several inaccurate characterizations of the trial proceedings. I and the entire prosecution team conducted this trial ethically and in full compliance with the Court's ruling and any agreements with defense counsel."
Today, a new judge is hearing arguments for why Anthony should get a new trial. Prosecutors and the defense both gave opening statements and there was some discussion of a "gentleman's agreement" about keeping "character information" about the Metcalf brothers out of the trial. But also, some information about Karmelo Anthony was kept out of the trial.
Karmelo Anthony hearing for new trial about to start at the Collin County Courthouse. We are about to hear opening statements from Anthony's attorney Russell Wilson.
— MaryAnn Martinez (@MaryAnnreports) August 20, 2026
On gentleman's agreement struck during Karmelo's Anthony's June murder trial, Wilson says character information about Austin Metcalf and Hunter Metcalf were kept out of the courtroom. He adds that Anthony's previous legal team also kept out information about Anthony, such as…
— MaryAnn Martinez (@MaryAnnreports) August 20, 2026
Then the prosecutor spoke:
State prosecutor Bill Wirskye now speaking. He is laying out the unprecedented threat environment in the Karmelo Anthony June trial. Wirskye pointing out that it's important for everyone to know that the gentleman's agreement and even security measures regarding the public were…
— MaryAnn Martinez (@MaryAnnreports) August 20, 2026
Wirskye pointing out that it's important for everyone to know that the gentleman's agreement and even security measures regarding the public were made and agreed to by Karmelo Anthony and his trial lawyers. "That existed to protect this defendant's rights. They agreed," Wirskye says emphatically.
Austin Metcalfs mom is almost in tears with eyes closed as Wirskye is talking about how there was almost a shooting at her house leading up to the trial and how the Metcalfs were doxed multiple times.
— MaryAnn Martinez (@MaryAnnreports) August 20, 2026
"This was the first case that we had been involved with that the threat…
"This was the first case that we had been involved with that the threat environment where-- they go by many names, influencers, content creators-- but they try to monetize murder," Wirskye said.
"All the things that were done saved his life," Wirsky said pointing at Karnelo Anthony and talking about the threats against Anthony leading up to the June trial.
— MaryAnn Martinez (@MaryAnnreports) August 20, 2026
Wirskye says Anthony was even snuck into the courthouse once for a DNA swab because they feared for his life so much…
But here's the big reveal. The prosecutor is now telling the judge some of the information that was apparently kept under wraps during the trial and it's not good for Karmelo Anthony.
KARMELO ANTHONY BOMBSHELL:
— MaryAnn Martinez (@MaryAnnreports) August 20, 2026
Karmelo Anthony's girlfriend, Valeria, went to the school the morning of the Austin Metcalf stabbing, April 2, 2025, and told school officials she had broken up with Anthony and he was stalking her. One hour later, Austin was dead at the track meet,…
Karmelo Anthony's girlfriend, Valeria, went to the school the morning of the Austin Metcalf stabbing, April 2, 2025, and told school officials she had broken up with Anthony and he was stalking her. One hour later, Austin was dead at the track meet, according to Collin County prosecutor Bill Wirskye who revealed at Karmelo Anthony's hearing for a new trial today.
"I'm low key on the verge," Anthony said in text the morning of the stabbing.
Wirskye says Anthony had a history of violence and wanted to stab someone.
"There is a text message where he fantasizes about stabbing someone and licking the blood off the blade," Wirkskye said of Anthony.
He was obsessed with starting fights, Wirskye added, sharing that Anthony had previously been taken to a special program at LSU for kids who can't keep their hands to themselves when he lived in Louisiana prior to moving to Texas
This seems pretty explanatory of Anthony's state of mind that day. Remember, witnesses said he sat down under the opposing team's tent and when asked to leave he absolutely refused multiple times and was taunting and daring someone to do something about it. When Austin Metcalf confronted him, Anthony put his hand inside his bag on the knife and said "Touch me and see what happens." So the fact that Anthony was apparently carrying the knife that day because he was thinking about stabbing someone even before he got there is pretty damning.
The hearing took a break and could wrap up today or might continue into tomorrow. I'll add updates below if there are any more bombshells today.
Update: James Talarico weighed in on the fairness of the trial yesterday.
James Talarico says Karmelo Anthony was convicted because "there were no black members of the jury" and the "system is not working for black Texans."
— Brandon Gill (@realBrandonGill) August 20, 2026
Karmelo Anthony stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf to death for absolutely no reason.
And @jamestalarico sides with the killer. pic.twitter.com/kFIPWiMxp2
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