Karmelo Anthony's bid for a new trial hangs in the balance as a Texas judge reviews newly disclosed evidence following his murder conviction for a fatal high school track meet stabbing.
State prosecutors presented previously secret records on Friday showing the 19-year-old had made repeated violent threats, including threatening to shoot up his high school and stab his girlfriend, before he killed Austin Metcalf.
Judge Michael Chitty, a retired magistrate who presided over court cases in Kaufman County for 17 years, heard testimony stretching past business hours at the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas. He has until Monday to issue a ruling on the defense motion for a new trial.
High School Stabbing and Murder Conviction
Anthony admitted to stabbing and killing Metcalf on April 2, 2025, during a high school track meet held at a football stadium in Frisco, Texas, located just north of Dallas. In Texas criminal proceedings, violent crime cases are prosecuted within the county judicial district where the offense occurred.
The lethal confrontation occurred under a Memorial High School track team tent. Anthony claimed during his trial that he acted in self-defense when he drew a folding knife and stabbed Metcalf.
Following Anthony's arrest at the track venue, the fatal incident quickly became a prominent national flashpoint concerning issues of race, politics, and privilege.
A diverse Collin County jury, which included Hispanic, Asian, and Indian jurors, rejected Anthony's claim of self-defense as well as the alternative option of convicting him on manslaughter charges.
On June 9, 2026, after deliberating for three hours, the jury found Anthony guilty of murder and sentenced him to 35 years in state prison.
Pre-Trial Gentleman's Agreement Excluded Evidence
Within days of the trial ending in June, Anthony's parents claimed their son had not received a fair trial and promised to seek a new trial.
In the two months following his conviction, Anthony assembled a new legal team of six high-powered attorneys. Defense attorney Russell Wilson argued during the recent hearing that Anthony's constitutional rights were violated throughout the original trial.
However, court testimony on Friday revealed that prosecutors and original defense attorneys willingly entered into a gentleman's agreement prior to the June trial.
Under the terms of the agreement, highly damaging background information about both Anthony and Metcalf was excluded from courtroom proceedings. The jury was permitted to hear only about what happened under the tent on the day of the stabbing.
State lawyers presented the excluded evidence to Judge Chitty on Friday to demonstrate that both sides had agreed to the evidentiary limits, undermining defense claims of unfair prejudice.
Newly Revealed Records of Violent Past
Prosecutor Bill Wirskye detailed records showing that in 2023, while attending Centennial High School in Frisco at age 16, Anthony sent a text message stating, "Imma shoot the school up tmr."
State lawyers also revealed that Anthony repeatedly threatened his girlfriend, Valeria Perez, with violence in 2024. Perez continues to date Anthony and attended the recent court hearings.
According to court testimony, Anthony texted Perez in 2024 asking, "How many bullets you want coming out of your chest," and threatened to stab her later that same year.
A few weeks after the stabbing threat, Anthony sent Perez another message describing a violent fantasy, writing, "When I stab someone, I'm gonna lick the blood off the blade."
During a hearing on Thursday, attorneys disclosed that on the day Anthony stabbed Metcalf, Perez had reported to high school officials that she had broken up with Anthony and felt he was stalking her.
Prosecutors also presented evidence that Anthony admitted attempting to bring a weapon to the State Fair of Texas, an annual state exposition held each autumn in Dallas.
Allegations Regarding Victim's History
Defense attorneys presented previously suppressed background information regarding Metcalf's past behavior and prior law enforcement contacts to support their retrial petition.
Wilson revealed that Metcalf and his twin brother, Hunter Metcalf, were previously caught spray-painting racist graffiti, including the N-word and "kill all black people." The twins received 12 months of probation for the incident.
The defense team further stated that Metcalf previously faced charges for assault causing bodily injury and had been arrested.
In a May 2018 incident while attending elementary school, Metcalf allegedly pushed a young girl to the ground, causing injuries severe enough to require hospitalization for her shoulder.
Judicial Ruling and Retrial Outlook
No cameras were permitted inside the courtroom during Anthony's murder trial in June or during the post-conviction retrial hearings held this week.
As witness testimony ran late into Friday evening, Wilson asked Judge Chitty how much longer the court would hear from witnesses.
Judge Chitty replied, "We're bumping up against a deadline, and I need time to review all of the evidence submitted in this case over the weekend."
Judge Chitty has until Monday to determine whether to grant a new trial or uphold the 35-year prison sentence.
Legal analysts note that defendants face a heavy burden when seeking to overturn a jury verdict after conviction.
Defense attorney Jeremy Rosenthal told local news station WFAA that post-conviction motions require proving structural unfairness rather than standard trial dissatisfaction.
"In America, you have your right to your day in court. You don't have your right to your day in court until you win," Rosenthal told WFAA.
"It is a highly subjective standard, and it's almost like a mini-appeal," Rosenthal said. "They have to show that there's a certain degree of unfair, not just that you didn't get your day in court."
