Judge Has Days to Rule on Whether Karmelo Anthony’s Murder Conviction Stands

A fresh judicial assignment has created an accelerated timeline for determining whether Karmelo Anthony’s murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence will survive legal challenge. Retired District Judge Michael Chitty is set to hear Anthony’s new-trial motion Thursday, following Wednesday’s decision by Judge Sid Harle to disqualify Judge John Roach from further proceedings in the case.

Harle determined that Roach’s impartiality could reasonably be questioned after the judge gave a post-trial television interview stating the jury “got it right” and defending his trial rulings. While Roach’s removal represents progress for Anthony’s legal team, it does not overturn his conviction and does not guarantee relief on the substantive new-trial motion.

Anthony, 19, was convicted in June of fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a confrontation at a Frisco track meet. A Collin County jury imposed a 35-year sentence, and Anthony has challenged multiple aspects of the trial’s conduct and procedures.

The new-trial motion raises several objections to trial proceedings, including restrictions on public courtroom access and camera coverage. Defense attorneys contend that prosecutors violated an alleged off-the-record agreement regarding character evidence, forcing Anthony into an untenable choice about whether to testify and risk prejudicial information reaching jurors.

Anthony’s lawyers also challenge jury instructions they claim improperly limited consideration of his self-defense claim. Criminal appellate attorney Brett Ordiway emphasized that granting such motions remains exceptionally rare, noting the legal standard is extremely difficult to satisfy.

An urgent deadline constrains Judge Chitty’s decision-making process. Texas law requires a ruling on new-trial motions within 75 days of sentencing, with Monday marking the final permissible date. If Chitty does not rule affirmatively by then, the motion is automatically denied by operation of law.

Should Chitty grant the motion, Anthony’s conviction and sentence would be erased, allowing either a retrial before a new jury or potential plea negotiations. If denied, Anthony’s fight continues through direct appeal to the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas, a process typically requiring over a year to complete.