Karmelo Anthony’s newly appointed legal team is challenging the conduct of the judge who oversaw his murder trial, alleging judicial bias and claiming courtroom limits infringed on his constitutional right to a public trial. The claims were raised in two post-conviction motions aimed at setting aside his conviction.
Court documents reviewed by FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth show Anthony’s attorneys are asking Collin County Judge John Roach to step away from any further post-trial matters. The defense is also seeking a new trial, citing what it characterizes as legal and constitutional flaws in the prosecution.
Anthony, 19, was found guilty in the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a confrontation at a Frisco track meet. He was later sentenced by a Collin County jury to 35 years in prison.
Judge John Roach is shown in a courtroom sketch from the Karmelo Anthony murder trial. (Pat Lopez)
The filings mark the first significant legal action from Anthony’s new defense team, headed by attorney Russell Wilson, who previously said he would handle Anthony’s appeal work without charging a fee.
INC News contacted Wilson’s office seeking comment. A representative said Wilson is not offering public remarks about the case at this time.
In a news release obtained by FOX 4, Anthony’s attorneys said they submitted a verified motion asking for Roach’s recusal, arguing that remarks the judge made after the trial raised concerns about whether he could fairly decide Anthony’s post-trial requests.
Karmelo Anthony is seen after being placed in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He was taken to his assigned facility at the Pack Unit near Navasota. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)
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According to the motion, Roach told reporters after the verdict that the jury “got it right” and defended several of his rulings during the trial, including his decision to dismiss three Black prospective jurors and his handling of courtroom access.
The defense argues those statements create an appearance that the judge cannot fairly consider Anthony’s request for a new trial.
The accompanying 63-page motion for a new trial focuses on alleged constitutional violations rather than Anthony’s guilt or innocence.
17-year-old Austin Metcalf was killed during a fatal altercation at a track meet in Frisco, Texas. (Jeff Metcalf)
Among its central claims, the defense argues Anthony’s Sixth Amendment right to a public trial was violated because cameras were barred from the courtroom and only 27 seats were available to members of the public during the proceedings.
The attorneys also argue prosecutors failed to honor an off-the-record evidentiary agreement regarding character and extraneous-act evidence, forcing Anthony to choose between testifying and exposing himself to prejudicial information.
The motion further challenges the jury instructions, claiming they made it more difficult for jurors to fully consider Anthony’s self-defense argument.
The defense contends the cumulative effect of those alleged errors deprived Anthony of a fair trial and warrants a new one.
Following the trial, Roach defended his decision to prohibit cameras from the courtroom, telling Fox News at the time, the restrictions were intended to protect the judicial process, witnesses and jurors while promising greater transparency after the proceedings concluded.
Under Texas law, Roach is expected to refer the recusal motion to a regional administrative judge, who will decide whether a hearing on the request is necessary.
INC News requested copies of the filings from the Collin County Deputy County Administrator and separately sought comment from Roach’s office. Neither immediately responded.
