Karmelo Anthony’s legal team has scored a major victory in his appeal after successfully having the judge who presided over his murder trial removed from the case.

Senior Judge Sid Harle granted the defense’s request Wednesday, ruling that Judge John Roach should no longer oversee Anthony’s appeal because of comments he made in a television interview after the trial.

Roach, who handled Anthony’s original case, spoke with local station WFAA-TV after the verdict. During the interview, he described Anthony as a “nice young man” but also said the jury reached the correct decision in finding him guilty of murder.

“As long as I follow the law, I sleep well at night,” Roach said.

Anthony’s new attorneys argued that the judge’s public comments created an issue because he had spoken about the case while further legal proceedings were still expected. The defense said the remarks should have led to Roach’s automatic recusal and accused him of violating judicial ethics.

Harle agreed to remove Roach from the appeal, while making clear that he did not personally believe Roach was incapable of being fair.

“That’s not ‘the test,’” Harle said, explaining that recusal carries a high legal standard but that the circumstances were enough to require Roach’s removal.

The decision drew a strong response from prosecutor Bill Wirskye, who pushed back against the defense’s argument.

“He didn’t do anything wrong,” Wirskye said, adding that he knew Roach and believed fairness was important to the judge.

Wirskye also accused social media personalities and influencers of making a “concerted effort” to interfere with the case, claiming that some of those individuals were present in court during the hearing.

Why Karmelo Anthony’s case has drawn national attention

Anthony, 18, was convicted of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf following a confrontation at a high school track and field event in Frisco, Texas, in April 2025.

The confrontation reportedly began after Metcalf told Anthony to leave a team tent where he was not part of the team. During the dispute, Anthony pulled out a knife and stabbed Metcalf in the chest.

Metcalf later died from his injuries.

Anthony was ultimately convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison.

His case has since become a major national flashpoint, with intense debate surrounding the circumstances of the killing, race and the legal proceedings. Anthony’s family has argued that race played a role in what happened and brought in prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

Now, with Judge Roach removed from the appeal, Anthony’s new legal team has another significant development in its effort to challenge his conviction.

The ruling does not overturn Anthony’s conviction or guarantee a new trial. It simply means another judge will handle the appeal as his attorneys continue their legal challenge.