A judge from the state of Texas, in the southeast of the United States, has rejected this Saturday the request presented by the lawyers of Karmelo Anthony, convicted in April 2025 for the murder of Austin Metcalf, in which they asked to repeat the trial considering that their defendant had not had a "fair" process.
Judge Michael Chitty has issued his ruling dismissing Anthony's defense request for the opening of a new judicial procedure, after a prolonged hearing that extended for more than two days and concluded on the night of Friday.
"We respect, and expected, the court's decision to deny the request for a new trial," stated Greg Willis, district attorney of Collin County, in a statement released by CBS. "The jury's guilty verdict stands, and we continue to trust the process. Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family after the painful episode of last week's hearing."
The defense of the young American, sentenced to 35 years in prison, has expressed its "disappointment" at the determination made by Judge Chitty.
"We respectfully disagree with the ruling and maintain our firm commitment to protect our client's rights," said one of Anthony's attorneys, Russel Wilson, who emphasized that the judicial decision "does not end this case."
"We believe that the issues raised in our motion are substantial and deserve a thorough appellate review. The denial of our motion does not end this case. We will continue the appeal before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and seek all available legal remedies for our client," he concluded.
Karmelo Anthony, 19 years old, was found guilty of homicide in June 2025 and sentenced to 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, 17 years old, in April 2025 during an athletics competition at a high school in Frisco, Texas.
The case generated intense controversy in American public opinion and became a topic of discussion on social media and in the media due to its racial implications and the defense version of Anthony, who maintained his innocence claiming self-defense.