Judge removed from Texas track meet stabbing case as defendant Karmelo Anthony seeks a new trial

Karmelo Anthony’s Trial Judge Removed as Retrial Push Continues

Qwenews.com – A visiting judge ordered the removal of the state District Judge who presided over the murder trial of a 19-year-old Texas teen, clearing the way for a new judge to hear Anthony’s petition for a retrial. The ruling came Wednesday in Collin County, where dozens of supporters packed the courtroom and its parking lot, chanting “Free Karmelo!” after the decision was read.

The Conviction

Karmelo Anthony was found guilty of murder in June by a suburban Dallas jury and handed a 35-year prison sentence. The verdict came after jurors turned aside his self-defense argument regarding a fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet the previous year. The two teens attended different schools and were competing in separate events when the confrontation erupted in the stadium bleachers on a rainy spring day.

Witnesses described a heated exchange that began when Metcalf and others repeatedly told Anthony to vacate a tent belonging to Metcalf’s team — specifically the Memorial High School tent positioned in the bleachers. Prosecutors characterized Anthony as the aggressor who provoked the encounter. According to a police report, Anthony at one point reached into a bag and declared:

“Touch me and see what happens.”

Witnesses testified that Metcalf then pushed Anthony, after which Anthony drew a knife and drove it into Metcalf’s chest. Anthony himself did not take the stand during the trial.

The Interview That Triggered Removal

Anthony’s attorneys argued Wednesday that a retrial was justified partly because District Judge John Roach had enforced what they called excessively rigid courtroom procedures and, after the trial concluded, gave a media interview. That interview was played aloud as the hearing opened. Asked whether the jury had reached the correct verdict, Roach responded:

“Yeah, they did. Whatever they say, they got it right.”

Visiting Judge Sid Harle stated he had no prior acquaintance with Roach and personally believed Roach would conduct a retrial hearing fairly. Nevertheless, Harle granted the removal motion, reasoning that the appearance of impartiality mattered to outside observers.

Aftermath and Context

The case drew national scrutiny, fueled in large part by a wave of social media posts that framed the killing in racial terms. Anthony is Black; Metcalf was white. Counsel for both sides told the jury, however, that race played no role in the tragedy.

Anthony appeared in court Wednesday wearing a green jumpsuit. Parents of both Anthony and Metcalf were present. Attorneys representing either family declined to comment immediately after the ruling. A replacement judge will be seated Thursday to consider Anthony’s retrial request.