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Karmelo Anthony cites secret agreements, closed doors in bid for new trial and judge
Court TV • • nation
Key Points:
- Karmelo Anthony, convicted of murdering Austin Metcalf at a 2025 track meet, is seeking a new trial, claiming he was coerced into not testifying and denied a fair trial due to restricted public access.
- Judge John Roach issued a gag order and imposed strict courtroom access limits, including banning audio, video, and livestreaming, which Anthony's defense argues severely limited transparency and public scrutiny.
- An off-the-record agreement between prosecution and defense limited evidence and testimony, but was abruptly challenged by the prosecution on the trial’s last day, leading Anthony to forgo testifying with only minutes to decide.
- Anthony's lawyers have requested Judge Roach’s recusal from the new trial motion, citing his public comments defending the restricted courtroom access and affirming the jury's verdict as potential bias.
- No hearing date has been set for the motions, leaving the status of Anthony’s request for a new trial and judge recusal unresolved.
