A Texas judge denied Karmelo Anthony's request for a new trial on August 22, 2026. Anthony's attorneys argued that courtroom restrictions, hearings held without his presence, and the handling of an unwritten agreement between his former lawyers and prosecutors violated his rights. Retired District Judge Michael Chitty reviewed the motion, court records, evidence, and relevant case law before making his decision, which did not include detailed reasoning. As a result, Anthony's murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence remain in effect, and his legal team plans to continue the challenge on direct appeal.
The new trial hearing included testimony regarding an oral agreement between Anthony's original defense attorneys and prosecutors, which was intended to prevent potentially damaging character evidence from being presented to the jury. Former lead defense attorney Mike Howard testified that he believed the agreement would allow Anthony to testify about the confrontation at a Frisco track meet. However, prosecutors later indicated that the agreement would not apply if Anthony took the stand, leading to a dispute that made Anthony reluctant to testify.
Howard acknowledged during cross-examination that the lawyers had not explicitly agreed on whether a testifying defendant was covered by the arrangement. Former defense attorney Toby Shook corroborated Howard's testimony, stating that the defense team had expected Anthony to testify in support of his self-defense claim. The prosecution, represented by Bill Wirske, argued that the details of the agreement had not been clearly discussed and that they remained willing to honor it, but expressed concerns that Anthony's testimony could inadvertently allow character evidence to be introduced.
Chitty also considered claims that courtroom-access restrictions violated Anthony's Sixth Amendment right to a public trial and that jury instructions limited jurors' ability to consider self-defense. Anthony was convicted in June of stabbing and killing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during an altercation at a Frisco track meet.