A Texas judge rejected Karmelo Anthony’s bid for a new trial Saturday, keeping the 19 year old’s 35-year prison sentence intact despite his defense team’s allegations that the June trial was compromised.
Retrial Denied
As reported on Monday’s AM Update, Anthony’s new group of high-profile attorneys had pointed to strict courtroom rules, jury instructions, and a gentlemen’s agreement with prosecutors limiting what evidence jurors would hear as issues with the initial trial during which a Collin County jury rejected a self-defense argument and found Anthony guilty of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at an April 2025 track meet.
Anthony had achieved a legal win following his conviction, with original judge John Roach being removed from the case after he told a local news outlet that jurors “got it right” in convicting Anthony. But he did not secure the new trial he was seeking.
Damning Character Evidence
Legal experts said the rejection of Anthony’s bid for a new trial is not surprising, though the proceedings revealed damaging information about both the defendant and decedent that was not brought up at trial as part of the handshake deal.
During last Thursday’s hearing, Collin County District Attorney Bill Wirskye acknowledged there was an agreement in place to not delve into the character of the Metcalf or Anthony during the trial – which would have included Metcalf’s arrest for graffitiing racially charged messages and texts sent by Anthony in which he fantasized about stabbing someone – and said he offered it to the defense because he believed his case was strong enough to secure a conviction.
While retired District Judge Michael Chitty, as expected, did not grant Anthony’s motion for a retrial, Megyn said the revelations that emerged about both Anthony and Metcalf are nothing short of “stunning” and give important context to the fatal encounter.
“My overall takeaway is these were two angry young men – not just Karmelo [but] Austin too – and this clash now makes so much more sense to me,” Megyn said on Monday’s Megyn Kelly Show. “I mean, Karmelo Anthony had a hair trigger, and there was a long history that proved it. This guy, as we suspected, has had multiple run-ins with alleged crimes. And Austin Metcalf was far from a saint himself.”
What We’ve Learned
Megyn said the latest information “doesn’t change the fact that a murder was committed that day,” but she does believe it is important that it be made public. On Monday’s show, she took a deep dive into the allegations against both Anthony and Metcalf. Watch:
You can check out Megyn’s full analysis by tuning in to episode 1,384 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s The Megyn Kelly Channel (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.