Judge denies new trial for man convicted in teen's stabbing death

A judge has denied Karmelo Anthony's bid for a new trial following his conviction for the murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf. The decision by Judge Michael Chitty came after testimony concluded Friday evening.

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The plan was for Anthony to take the stand in his own defense, but that prosecutors were going to severely limit what he could be asked because of a private gentleman's agreement not to bring up anything from the backgrounds of the defendant or the victim.

Anthony was found guilty of intentionally stabbing Metcalf during a Frisco ISD track meet in April 2025. A Collin County jury rejected his self-defense claim and handed down a 35-year sentence earlier this summer. The recent hearing focused on the defense's argument that the trial was so unconventional, the verdict and sentence should be overturned.

New defense attorneys presented their case, calling Toby Shook, one of Anthony's trial lawyers, as a witness. Shook testified that prosecutors limited what Anthony could say on the stand due to a "gentleman's agreement" to exclude details about the backgrounds of both the defendant and the victim. The defense claimed this agreement, coupled with a heated exchange between prosecutors and defense lawyers, led Anthony to distrust the state and decide not to testify.

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There was never an agreement preventing Anthony from taking the stand.

However, lead prosecutor Bill Wirskye argued that the restrictions were necessary. He cited threats, intense public pressure, and misinformation surrounding the case, asserting that the unusual rules, including private pre-trial hearings and a tightly controlled courtroom, were implemented to protect the trial's integrity. Wirskye contended that these measures were justified by a history of high-profile trials compromised by external factors.

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The restrictions protected the trial.