The judge who presided over Karmelo Anthony’s murder trial has been removed from the case as Anthony’s defense pushes for a new trial. Visiting Judge Sid Harle ruled Wednesday that Collin County Judge John Roach should step back from all remaining proceedings, siding with defense attorneys who argued Roach’s conduct after the verdict created an appearance of bias.
Anthony, 19, was convicted in June of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a confrontation at a Frisco high school track meet last year, and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The jury rejected his claim that he acted in self-defense. The fight that led to the stabbing started over Anthony refusing to leave a tent belonging to Metcalf’s team on a rainy day at the meet, with Metcalf and others repeatedly telling him to move before the confrontation escalated.
Why the Defense Wanted Roach Off the Case
Anthony’s new legal team, led by attorney Russell Wilson II, laid out several complaints about Roach’s handling of the trial and its aftermath. During the trial itself, Roach limited media access and restricted the small number of public seats left over once press and family were seated, and issued a gag order barring trial participants from discussing the case publicly, citing the intense scrutiny it was drawing.
The complaint that carried the most weight, though, came after the verdict. Two days after the jury convicted Anthony, and while the window to file a motion for a new trial was still open, Roach gave an interview to WFAA about the case.
Judge Harle said he believed Roach was likely trying to “educate the public,” which conduct rules allow for in some circumstances, but that the interview still didn’t hold up against how a neutral outside observer would view his impartiality going forward. “Under that limited finding, I’m going to grant the recusal,” Harle said.
What Happens Next
A new judge will be assigned to the case before Thursday’s hearing, where the court will take up the actual question of whether Anthony is entitled to a new trial. Anthony has also separately filed a notice of appeal challenging his conviction and sentence, a process that can run for months or longer regardless of how the new-trial motion turns out.
Removing Roach doesn’t say anything about the merits of Anthony’s case. It just means whoever rules on the new-trial request will be someone with no connection to the original trial or its outcome.
Anthony’s Legal Team Speaks After the Ruling
What do you think? Was the trial judge’s post-verdict interview enough to justify pulling him off the case, or is this just a procedural step that won’t change the outcome? Let us know your thoughts in the comments on BeezLoop.com!
Update: Judge Denies Karmelo Anthony’s Bid for a New Trial
Retired Kaufman County Judge Michael Chitty denied Karmelo Anthony’s motion for a new trial on Saturday, August 22, capping a two-day hearing in McKinney and leaving his 35-year sentence in place. “Upon reviewing the motion, the record, the evidence and argument, the briefs, and the relevant case law, the Court has determined the motion should be denied,” Chitty wrote in a brief order.
What the ‘Gentleman’s Agreement’ Kept From the Jury
The new-trial hearing centered on testimony about an unwritten deal between Anthony’s original defense team and prosecutors to keep damaging evidence about both teenagers away from jurors. Prosecutor Bill Wirskye testified that the trial team agreed jurors wouldn’t hear that Austin Metcalf and his twin brother, Hunter, had been accused in the past of racism and bullying, including an offense report describing racist graffiti. In exchange, jurors also never saw Anthony’s phone records or school disciplinary history.
Anthony’s appellate attorneys argued the arrangement backfired on their client: lead trial attorney Mike Howard testified that losing that shield is part of what led Anthony to skip testifying, despite having told the original judge there was a “99 percent chance” he would take the stand. The Collin County District Attorney’s office has said it acted ethically throughout the trial.
Who Is Judge Michael Chitty?
Chitty, a retired judge from Kaufman County, was assigned to the case on Thursday, August 20, replacing Judge John Roach after his recusal. He had no prior connection to the original trial or its outcome.
What Happens Next
Denying the new-trial motion doesn’t close the case. Anthony’s separate direct appeal, already filed with Texas’s Fifth Court of Appeals, moves forward on its own timeline and could take months to resolve. His attorneys can also appeal Chitty’s ruling itself.
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