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Texas judge denies new trial for Karmelo Anthony in track meet killing
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- A Texas judge denied a new trial for Karmelo Anthony, who was convicted and sentenced to 35 years for the 2025 stabbing death of 17-year-old athlete Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet.
- The retrial request centered on an off-the-record agreement to exclude damaging character evidence to avoid inflaming racial tensions, which Anthony's defense claimed was breached, leading to a change in defense strategy and Anthony not testifying.
- Both prosecution and defense maintained that the case was not racially motivated despite widespread social media attention highlighting racial aspects; Anthony is Black and Metcalf was white.
- The defense also challenged strict courtroom rules and sought the trial judge's recusal after he publicly supported the jury's verdict, but the judge and prosecutors defended the fairness and necessity of these measures.
- Witnesses testified that Anthony provoked the confrontation and was the aggressor who stabbed Metcalf after being pushed, rejecting Anthony’s self-defense claim.
