A Texas judgedenied Karmelo Anthony a new trial Saturday, after his attorneys argued that courtroom restrictions, hearings held without Anthony present and the handling of an unwritten agreement between his former lawyers and prosecutors violated his rights.

RetiredDistrict Judge Michael Chittydenied Anthony’s request after reviewing the motion, court record, evidence and arguments, briefs and relevant case law, according to his order. The order did not detail his reasoning for the decision.

The decision leaves Anthony’s murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence in place. His challenge will continue on direct appeal.

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Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said his office expected the decision and remains confident in the case.

\"We respect, and expected, the court’s decision denying the motion for a new trial. The jury’s guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process,\" his statement said.

\"Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family in the painful wake of last week’s hearing.\"

Chitty heard two days of testimony in McKinney, Texas, after Judge Sid Harle removed the judge who presided over Anthony’s murder trial, Judge John Roach, from the remaining trial court proceedings earlier this week.

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Harle found that a reasonable outside observer could question whether Roach appeared impartial after he publicly said the jury \"got it right\" and defended several of his trial decisions.

At the center of the new trial hearing was an oral agreement between Anthony’s original defense attorneys and prosecutors to keep potentially damaging character evidence involving both sides from reaching the jury.

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Former lead defense attorney Mike Howard testified that he understood the agreement to allow Anthony to testify if he stayed focused on the confrontation under the tent at aFrisco track meet.

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On the final day of the trial, prosecutors told the defense the agreement would not apply if Anthony took the stand and that the defense had opened the door to character evidence. Howard said the dispute led to a heated break in the proceedings and made Anthony unwilling to testify.

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Under cross-examination, Howard acknowledged the lawyers never expressly agreed on whether a testifying defendant was covered by the arrangement. He also said he could not say whether prosecutors acted in bad faith.

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Former defense attorney Toby Shook gave similar testimony Friday, saying the original defense team understood the agreement to includeAnthony’s testimonyabout the confrontation. The position prosecutors took caught Shook off guard because the defense had always expected Anthony to take the stand in support of his self-defense claim.

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The defense also introduced a training presentation that lead prosecutor Bill Wirskye had used in continuing legal education courses on self-defense. One slide advised defense lawyers that the client \"(probably) needs to testify.\"

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During a break, the defense updated Anthony and explained that Roach said he could not enforce the unwritten agreement, Shook testified. That left Anthony unsure whether testifying would allow prosecutors to introduce character evidence the agreement was meant to keep out.

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Wirskye disputed that the agreement was broken. He said the lawyers never discussed the details of what it would allow if Anthony testified and that prosecutors remained willing to honor it. The state feared testimony from Anthony or his mother could inadvertently open the door to character evidence, Wirskye said.

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Chitty also considered claims that courtroom access restrictions violated Anthony’s Sixth Amendment right to a public trial and that jury instructions limited jurors’ ability to consider self-defense.

Anthony, 19, was convicted in Juneof stabbing and killing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during an altercation at a Frisco track meet. A Collin County jury sentenced Anthony to 35 years in prison.

",{"_275":233,"_276":241,"_278":337},{"_27":241,"_40":338,"_281":339,"_42":340,"_245":246,"_285":-5,"_29":286,"_287":341,"_289":342,"_238":343,"_80":-5,"_82":117,"_232":344,"_275":233,"_312":357},"Texas judge denies Karmelo Anthony’s request for a new trial in stabbing death","A Texas judge has denied Karmelo Anthony's request for a new trial, upholding his conviction for fatally stabbing classmate Austin Metcalf in 2025. Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison. His defense claimed prosecutors violated an off-the-record agreement to limit the trial's scope, but a prosecutor denied this, stating the trial was ethical.","In June, a jury found Anthony guilty of fatally stabbing his classmate Austin Metcalf in 2025 at a track meet","2026-08-22T23:16:32","https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/22/karmelo-anthony-texas-trial","politics",{"_27":345,"_293":346,"_134":295,"_80":347,"_307":354,"_308":355,"_310":356},"0c8d5559f0a48016b8ca2160875a7637c4dc286a72c9ec4407d2998cf6b28b0c","8a0f4b5c1272368a229cac5a6aaebc891f41d90dd9afc6a6678eb0bb0bdb583b17f81c144cfe17f662e0a4dbbcd3931ee6144fdb40a97bb45e4c70fd58a92c71",[348,349,350,352,353],[238,338],[44,246],[300,351,39,302],"30023:c70c3496af43d505c85c2c54b4792401b1620ba0b7793cc8e68348d7f2a209da:75c64421-4baf-408e-9636-bac12307cbd3",[304,39],[137,354,39],"c70c3496af43d505c85c2c54b4792401b1620ba0b7793cc8e68348d7f2a209da","Texas judge denies Karmelo Anthony’s request for a new trial in stabbing death\nIn June, a jury found Anthony guilty of fatally stabbing his classmate Austin Metcalf in 2025 at a track meet\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzp3cvxjt27s74qhy9ctz5k3ujgqd3vg96pdme8nywdq6g6le2yzw6qqjrwdtrxc6rgv33956xyctx956rqwr995unvvek943xzce3xgenqdmrvfjrxfyj5kq ",1787467026,"A Texas judge denied Karmelo Anthony’s request for a new trial on Saturday, dealing a blow to the 19-year-old’s bid to overturn his murder conviction.\nIn June, a Collin county jury found Anthony guilty of fatally stabbing his classmate Austin Metcalf in 2025 at a track meet in Frisco, a suburb 28 miles (45km) north of Dallas. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison.\nAnthony’s defense attorneys have sought to have the case re-tried, accusing county prosecutors of violating an off-the-record agreement.\nIn court filings this summer, his legal team said they struck a bargain with the state to narrow the focus of the trial to the day of the track meet, excluding allegations that would raise questions about the moral character of both teenagers.\nThe deal, according to Anthony’s lawyers, was not mentioned in court filings to avoid evidence around alleged misdeeds from surfacing in media reports.\nDefense attorneys said the state broke the deal at the 11th hour, leading Anthony to forgo taking the stand, as was originally planned. His testimony would have been central to their self-defense argument, they said. A county prosecutor denied the claim at the time, telling the Guardian the trial was conducted ethically.\nThe nature of the previously undisclosed evidence came to light this week at a court hearing. The state and defense attorneys presented evidence that Metcalf, who was white, had allegedly engaged in racist behavior, while Anthony had allegedly fantasized about violence, according to the Dallas Morning News.\nGreg Willis, the Collin county district attorney, said in a Saturday statement he respected the court’s decision.\n“The jury’s guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process. Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family in the painful wake of last week’s hearing,” Willis said.\nLawyers for Anthony could not be immediately reached for comment.",{"_275":233,"_276":359,"_278":360},"d015a9f7-5561-4eef-bf35-737fde02d4b2",{"_27":359,"_40":361,"_281":362,"_42":363,"_245":364,"_285":-5,"_29":286,"_287":365,"_289":366,"_238":343,"_80":-5,"_82":117,"_232":367,"_275":233,"_312":380},"Judge Denies Karmelo Anthony's Appeal for a New Trial in Killing of Austin Metcalf","A judge denied Karmelo Anthony's request for a new trial in the murder of Austin Metcalf, upholding the guilty verdict and 35-year sentence. Anthony's defense argued that a \"gentleman's agreement\" to exclude background information from both defendants prejudiced the trial, but the prosecution contended the restrictions were necessary due to threats and public pressure.\n\nThe defense team stated that the agreement prevented Anthony from testifying and that the lack of public access violated federal law. However, the district attorney expressed confidence in the jury's verdict and the justice system, while Anthony's attorneys vowed to pursue an appeal.","Updated on: August 22, 2026 / 11:15 PM CDT / CBS Texas","https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2026/07/07/c6b763c5-4ef0-4f41-8906-e41b4aab7d7f/thumbnail/1200x630/ffbe1f2e61cd4fd79091cf41f07fb1d6/cbstexas-karmelo-anthony-new-main-1.jpg","2026-08-22T20:30:00","https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/karmelo-anthony-new-trial-decision-austin-metcalf-8-22-2026/",{"_27":368,"_293":369,"_134":295,"_80":370,"_307":377,"_308":378,"_310":379},"f63fa2af0fd00505ccf8ba64113e7ed61d198f6752674672dcdfa65243258aea","5adb6d78c8420b2aaeb9e350c5d7398b4d122fd4bc315154db8c0c1df895f04dcf54bd81e5a1fdfe4068bd990e65840ae0452c6470d11419bc5d11e8a97335c5",[371,372,373,375,376],[238,361],[44,364],[300,374,39,302],"30023:6759f7a309cd07f7abfe0c57ab4e0ff30ffcd68d9c744d403f22e2428df23738:d015a9f7-5561-4eef-bf35-737fde02d4b2",[304,39],[137,377,39],"6759f7a309cd07f7abfe0c57ab4e0ff30ffcd68d9c744d403f22e2428df23738","Judge Denies Karmelo Anthony's Appeal for a New Trial in Killing of Austin Metcalf\nUpdated on: August 22, 2026 / 11:15 PM CDT / CBS Texas\n\n\nnostr:naddr1qvzqqqr4gupzqe6e773snng8774lurzh4d8qluc0lntgm8r5f4qr7ghzg2xlydecqqjxgvp3x4snje3h956n2d33956x2etx943xvve495mnxdmxv3jnqvnyx33ry3cc2t4 ",1787467030,"A judge has denied Karmelo Anthony's request for a new trial in the murder of Austin Metcalf after his new defense team called for it in the wake of his conviction earlier this summer.\n\nJudge Michael Chitty rendered his decision Saturday after testimony stretched into Friday evening. The decision could have a major impact on how people perceive the justice system in Texas.\n\nAnthony was convicted of murdering 17‑year‑old Austin Metcalf after stabbing him during a Frisco ISD track meet in April 2025. A Collin County jury rejected his self‑defense claim and found he intentionally stabbed Metcalf during an altercation.\n\n\"We respect, and expected, the court's decision denying the motion for a new trial,\" Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said in a statement. \"The jury's guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process. Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family in the painful wake of last week's hearing.\"\n\nRussell Wilson, one of Anthony's attorneys, expressed disappointment with Chitty's decision.\n\n\"We respectfully disagree with the ruling and remain firmly committed to protecting our client's rights,\" Wilson said. \"We believe the issues raised in our motion are substantial and deserve meaningful appellate review. The denial of our motion does not end this case. We will continue the appeal in the Fifth Court of Appeals and pursue every legal remedy available to our client.\n\n\"Our commitment to our client has not changed. We will continue to advocate vigorously on his behalf through every lawful avenue available.\"\n\nWhat happened this week?\n\nFriday's testimony followed a whirlwind day earlier, during which new background information was revealed about both Anthony and Metcalf.\n\nTwo attorneys took the witness stand who are best friends in life but on opposite sides of the case. At one point, their exchange actually got heated over whether Anthony received a fair trial.\n\nAnthony returned to the courtroom where he sat beside his defense attorneys, who continued to present their case that his murder trial was so unconventional, the guilty verdict and 35-year sentence should be thrown out.\n\nThe witness they used to prove that point was Toby Shook, one of Anthony's trial attorneys, who told the judge that prosecutors put them in a corner.\n\nShook says the plan was for Anthony to take the stand in his own defense, but that prosecutors were going to severely limit what he could be asked because of a private gentleman's agreement not to bring up anything from the backgrounds of the defendant or the victim.\n\nWhat have we learned now?\n\nBoth sides made the agreement because Metcalf and Anthony have troubled histories or violent behavior.\n\nAnthony's background, which CBS News Texas first revealed publicly last night, was read in the courtroom when the state presented its case.\n\nIn closing arguments, defense attorney Russell Wilson said a heated argument between prosecutors and Anthony's lawyers caused Anthony to lose trust in the state, contributing to his decision not to testify.\n\nProsecutor Bill Wirskye, the state's only witness, said there was never an agreement preventing Anthony from taking the stand. Wirskye, who is acting as lead counsel in this hearing and also prosecuted Anthony in the murder trial, said the unusual rules were necessary because of threats, intense public pressure, and misinformation about the case. His argument: the restrictions protected the trial.\n\nWirskye outlined a history of high‑profile trials he says were compromised by threats and outside agitators. He claims that justified a murder trial that relied on private pre‑trial hearings, a tightly controlled courtroom, and a gentleman's agreement to keep the backgrounds of Anthony and Austin Metcalf out of public view.\n\nBut the defense says those measures went too far and that the lack of public access violated federal law.\n\nDuring Thursday's opening statements, the gloves came off between the defense and prosecutors as they exposed the violent backgrounds of both Anthony and Austin Metcalf.\n\nThe defense said that during the first murder trial against Anthony, the private off-the-record agreements made it impossible for him to have a fair trial.\n\nIt was revealed Thursday that there was a private off-record agreement to keep the sordid backgrounds of both Anthony and Austin Metcalf from the jury and the public so that the murder trial would focus solely on what happened under the tent at the Frisco high school track meet last year.\n\nCBS News Texas learned new details about Austin Metcalf and his twin brother Hunter Metcalf's background from court documents that included a graffiti incident, his use of racial slurs, bullying and assault allegations.\n\nBut the never-before-released details of Anthony's teen years in Louisiana up to the day of his arrest for murder are also disturbing, which include threatening texts, stalking, and assault allegations.",[],"selectedArticleImage","rootArticleImageUrl","consensusHtml","tweets",[],"userSchema","relatedArticles",[337,279,360,315],"actionData","errors"]

Texas Judge Denies Karmelo Anthony’s New-Trial Request

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