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Karmelo Anthony’s new legal team is accusing the judge who presided over his murder trial of bias and arguing courtroom restrictions violated his constitutional right to a public trial in a pair of post-conviction motions seeking to overturn his conviction.
According to court filings reviewed by FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, Anthony’s defense team asks that Collin County Judge John Roach recuse himself from all remaining post-trial proceedings while also requesting a new trial based on what the defense describes as constitutional and legal errors during Anthony’s prosecution.
Anthony, 19, was convicted of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf after fatally stabbing him during an altercation at a Frisco track meet. A Collin County jury sentenced him to 35 years in prison.
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Judge John Roach is depicted in a courtroom sketch during the Karmelo Anthony murder trial. (Pat Lopez)
The motions are the first major filings by Anthony’s new legal team, led by attorney Russell Wilson, who previously agreed to represent Anthony pro bono during the appeals process.
Fox News Digital reached out to Wilson’s office for comment. A representative said Wilson is not commenting on the case at this time.
In a news release obtained by FOX 4, the defense said it filed a verified motion to recuse Roach, arguing his public comments following the trial created the appearance that he could not impartially rule on Anthony’s post-trial motions.
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Karmelo Anthony is pictured after being transferred to the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He was transported to his unit of assignment at the Pack Unit near Navasota. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)
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.
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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.
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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.
Fox News Digital requested copies of the filings from the Collin County Deputy County Administrator and separately sought comment from Roach’s office. Neither immediately responded.
