Judge Michael Chitty denied a new trial for Karmelo Anthony in the murder case of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf.
Judge Michael Chitty denied a motion for a new trial for Karmelo Anthony, who was convicted of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet. The decision followed a two-day hearing in Collin County, where the defense argued that a potential breach of agreement regarding character evidence and strict courtroom rules limited the trial's fairness. Karmelo Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the April 2025 killing. While the case gained national attention due to racial tensions, both sides of which were not race-related, the defense argued that the prosecution might have reneged on an off-the-record agreement to keep damaging character evidence out of the trial. Attorney Russell Wilson stated the defense would appeal the decision. Prosecutor Bill Wirskye and District Attorney Greg Willis defended the trial's integrity, maintaining that the jury's guilty verdict stands. The confrontation began when Anthony provoked Metcalf, leading to a conflict where Metcalf pushed Anthony, who then pulled a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest.