Anthony's Murder Appeal
Karmelo Anthony Forms Pro Bono Legal Team to Appeal Murder Conviction, Citing Fresh Review
Key Points
The new appellate team is a six-lawyer roster with specific affiliations: Russell Wilson II (former Dallas County prosecutor) leads the group, joined by Michael Ware (director of the Innocence Project of Texas), Gary Bledsoe (Texas NAACP President), Brooke Cluse (Ben Crump Law), Sean Daredia, and Justin A. Moore.
The team publicly described its role as a pro bono, fresh, independent review of the trial record, with a stated goal of identifying legal errors and pursuing all issues supported by the record on appeal.
Evidence from the trial was released by a Collin County judge the week before the appellate filing, providing new material the defense team will review as part of its appeal.
Anthony has been moved to the Pack Unit near Navasota after sentencing, a detail that reflects his post-trial status as his new defense team prepares for appellate work.
Surveillance video from the incident has been referenced in reporting on the case, with coverage noting video evidence and witnesses related to the Frisco track-meet confrontation and Anthony’s flight from the scene.
A six-lawyer pro bono team has taken over Karmelo Anthony's appeal of his first-degree murder conviction, announcing on June 22, 2026, that it will conduct a fresh, independent review of the trial record, according to TheGrio. Anthony, 19, was found guilty on June 9, 2026, and sentenced to 35 years in prison for the stabbing death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco, Texas, track meet.
The new team includes former Dallas County prosecutor Russell Wilson II as lead counsel, Michael Ware of the Innocence Project of Texas, Texas NAACP President Gary Bledsoe, and Brooke Cluse of Ben Crump Law, CBS News reported. Anthony had already filed a notice of appeal within 24 hours of sentencing and claimed he was "penniless" in a court filing requesting appointed counsel.
Six Attorneys Step In After Anthony Claims He Is Broke
On June 10, 2026 — one day after sentencing — Anthony filed an affidavit of indigency, telling the court he could not afford a lawyer, WFAA reported. That filing triggered a search for court-appointed counsel. Instead, a coalition calling itself "Stand With Karmelo" assembled six pro bono attorneys and announced the team publicly on June 22.
Lead counsel Russell Wilson II said the team's job is clear. "Our responsibility is to determine whether a legal error occurred and to ensure that every issue supported by the record is fully and vigorously presented on appeal," Wilson said, according to CBS News. Sean Daredia and Justin A. Moore, both North Texas criminal defense attorneys, round out the six-member roster.
Court Releases 6 Gigabytes of Evidence Before Appeal Filing
On June 19, 2026, Collin County Judge John Roach Jr. released more than six gigabytes of trial evidence to the public, including surveillance video and 911 calls, Courthouse News reported. The release came just days before the new appellate team announced it was taking the case.
The surveillance video has been central to the case from the start. It showed Anthony fleeing the scene after the stabbing, which prosecutors used to undercut his self-defense claim. The new defense team says it will review all of that material as part of its independent look at the trial record, according to NBC DFW.
Jury Took Three Hours to Convict, Rejected Self-Defense Claim
The trial ran two weeks before Judge Roach in Collin County. The jury deliberated just three hours before finding Anthony guilty of first-degree murder on June 9, 2026, WFAA reported. They spent two more hours on sentencing before landing on 35 years. They also rejected a lesser manslaughter charge entirely.
Prosecutors called 21 witnesses. Lead prosecutor Bill Wirskye said the jury's quick decision and its rejection of a "sudden passion" argument showed how strong the evidence was, according to NBC DFW. If jurors had accepted "sudden passion" — a Texas legal term for acting under extreme emotion — the sentencing range would have dropped to 2–20 years. Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said simply: "Justice was served."
Appeal Could Take Months, Anthony Now Held Near Navasota
Anthony has been moved to the Pack Unit near Navasota, Texas, a state prison facility often used for younger offenders, FOX 4 reported. His case is expected to move to the 5th District Court of Appeals in Dallas. Given the size of the trial record, legal analysts say the initial briefing process alone could take six to nine months, according to WFAA.
The new defense team says it will limit media interviews while it reviews the case. Legal experts say the appeal will likely focus on whether Judge Roach made errors in jury instructions on self-defense or blocked key mitigating evidence from the jury, NBC DFW reported. The case drew national attention in part because the jury had no Black members, a fact raised by civil rights advocates including the Texas NAACP.
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