Karmelo Anthony's legal team has filed motions asking for a new trial and asking that the judge step aside from his case, according to court documents made public on July 7, 2026 The Guardian. Anthony, 19, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, 17, during a track meet in Frisco, Texas in 2025. These filings are the first serious legal challenges to a verdict that has drawn national attention.

The case was heard in Collin County District Court under Judge John Roach Collin County. Judge Roach is the judge the defense team wants removed. Both motions were filed on July 6, 2026, according to court documents reported by WFAA. Anthony's legal team confirmed the filings through an Instagram post the same day Instagram.

What the Defense Is Arguing

The core of the defense's challenge centers on the fact that Anthony did not testify in his own trial. His lawyers argue that prosecutors made a private, informal promise to keep certain evidence — facts about both Anthony's and Metcalf's past conduct and reputation — out of the trial. However, when trial began, prosecutors used that evidence anyway.

This matters because the judge had warned Anthony that if he took the stand to tell his story, the other side could use exactly that kind of evidence against him. The defense now says that warning was misleading — it was based on a broken promise rather than a standard legal rule. If a judge's warning about testifying turns out to be unfair or based on a deal that fell apart, courts take that seriously.

The problem: proving an informal agreement existed when there's no written record is hard. Without documentation, the judge and prosecutors can dispute what was agreed to.

The defense has raised two additional issues. First, they say the judge gave bad instructions to the jury about self-defense — telling jurors to disregard Anthony's claim that he was acting in self-defense. Second, they argue that restrictions on cameras and livestreaming during the trial violated Anthony's right to a public trial.

Media restrictions in high-profile trials are common and usually hold up in court when they're meant to protect security or keep order in the courtroom. That claim may be the weakest of the group.

What Happens Next

The Collin County district attorney's office has not commented on the defense's claims The Guardian.

Anthony's legal team has also filed a formal notice of appeal — a separate process that will move the case to a higher court regardless of what Judge Roach decides NBC News.

Anthony's legal representation recently changed. Russell Wilson is now one of his attorneys and is working without pay, according to Fox 4.

There is a factual wrinkle worth noting: news reports indicate Anthony received $625,000 after his conviction but later claimed he could not afford to pay for a lawyer for his appeal New York Post. The court documents and news coverage do not directly address this discrepancy. It's unclear whether Anthony's pro bono arrangement was made because of or in spite of his stated finances.

Time is pressing. Judge Roach has until July 9, 2026 to rule on the motion for a new trial Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth. If he doesn't rule by then, the motion is automatically rejected under Texas law — a common outcome.

The Reality of These Challenges

Motions to remove judges rarely succeed. Trial judges' decisions about evidence also get strong deference from higher courts — appellate judges generally defer to what happened at trial unless the trial judge clearly abused their power.

The defense team is pursuing multiple paths at the same time: asking for the judge to step aside, asking for a new trial, and filing an appeal. This strategy hedges their bets — if one avenue fails, another might succeed. The fact that Collin County carefully documented this case in public records, from trial procedures to the judge's own public statement after the verdict, suggests everyone involved understood this case would be as much about public perception as about what happens inside the courtroom Collin County.