Texas judge rejects Karmelo Anthony's new trial bid, leaving 35-year sentence intact
Retired Judge Michael Chitty denied Karmelo Anthony's motion for a new trial on August 22, 2026. The decision upholds Anthony's murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence for the 2025 stabbing of Austin Metcalf at a Frisco track meet. Anthony's legal team plans to pursue direct appeal in the Fifth Court of Appeals, arguing that an unwritten agreement between trial attorneys prevented him from testifying in his own defense. Prosecutors maintain the original verdict stands and that the trial process was fair despite the contested 'gentleman's agreement' regarding character evidence.
