EXCLUSIVE: Convicted Killer Karmelo Anthony, 19, Assembles High-Powered Appeal Team After Being Slapped With 35-Year Prison Sentence For Fatal Track Meet Stabbing
Karmelo Anthony now has a high-powered appeal team following his conviction.
June 23 2026, Published 7:50 p.m. ET
Karmelo Anthony, the 19-year-old Texas teenager convicted of fatally stabbing fellow student Austin Metcalf, has assembled a high-profile team of attorneys to challenge his murder conviction, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court records obtained by Radar, attorneys representing Anthony filed a Motion to Substitute Counsel in Collin County District Court, formally seeking to take over the teenager's appeal following his murder conviction.
Anthony was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf.
The legal team announced it has filed a substitution of counsel and will conduct an independent review of Anthony's trial before pursuing all available avenues of appeal.
The motion seeks to replace Anthony's previous appellate counsel with a newly assembled team that includes Texas NAACP President Gary Bledsoe, former prosecutor Michael Ware, veteran attorney Russell Wilson II, Ben Crump Law Chief of Staff Brooke Cluse, Sean Daredia, and Justin Moore. The attorneys said they are handling the appeal on a pro bono basis.
The development comes just weeks after Radar reported Anthony was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a confrontation at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.
Karmelo Anthony's Self Defense Claim Falls Through
Anthony maintained throughout the proceedings that he acted in self-defense.
Anthony maintained throughout the proceedings that he acted in self-defense, but jurors ultimately rejected that argument and returned a guilty verdict.
As Radar previously reported, prosecutors argued Anthony intentionally stabbed Metcalf during the confrontation, while defense attorneys insisted the teenager acted in self-defense.
The case sparked intense public debate and drew national attention throughout the trial, with supporters and critics closely following the proceedings.
Appeal Generates Widespread Reaction Online
Court records also showed Anthony sought assistance obtaining appellate counsel after claiming he lacked the financial resources to continue funding his defense.
In Monday's statement, the new attorneys said their role is to determine whether any legal errors occurred during the trial and to ensure all viable appellate issues are fully presented before the courts. Court records also showed Anthony sought assistance obtaining appellate counsel after claiming he lacked the financial resources to continue funding his defense.
The team stressed that the appeal process exists to review potential mistakes that may have affected the outcome of a case.
The announcement quickly generated widespread reaction online, where supporters and critics of Anthony have continued to debate the controversial case.
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Anthony is currently serving his sentence while the appeal moves forward through the Texas court system.
Some supporters have argued that issues involving jury selection and the rejection of Anthony's self-defense claim should be scrutinized during the appellate process, while Metcalf's family has maintained the jury reached the correct verdict.
Anthony is currently serving his sentence while the appeal moves forward through the Texas court system. Appeals can take months or even years to resolve, and a successful appeal does not automatically result in a new trial.
Instead, appellate judges will review the record to determine whether reversible legal errors occurred during the proceedings.
