Karmelo Anthony, the 19-year-old convicted last month of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, has launched a fresh legal bid to overturn his conviction. His defence team has filed a motion for a new trial and is also seeking to have the trial judge removed from any future proceedings in the case. The move matters because it seeks to reopen a case that a jury had already decided decisively, and it prolongs a high-profile trial that drew significant public attention.

Anthony was convicted in Collin County, near Dallas, over the fatal stabbing of Metcalf at a high school track meet in April 2025. The jury took less than three hours to find him guilty and sentenced him to 35 years in prison, rejecting his claim of self-defence. His lawyers have now filed a "Verified Motion to Recuse" to remove Judge John Roach from presiding over remaining post-trial matters, and a separate motion for a new trial citing constitutional and legal challenges, asking that these be decided by an independent judge. The defence has not publicly explained why it wants Judge Roach removed.