Convicted murderer Karmelo Anthony obtains pro bono appellate team after 35-year sentence

com reported. The group announced its involvement on Monday and said it will conduct an independent review of the trial record to identify any errors. Texas NAACP president Gary Bledsoe, appellate attorney Russell Wilson, civil rights lawyer Brooke Cluse from Ben Crump Law, and additional attorneys have joined the effort to overturn the conviction and sentence.

The lawyers stated they will work the case pro bono. “Our appellate team has been retained following the conviction to conduct a fresh, independent review of the trial record,” the group said in a statement. ” Anthony, 19, filed a notice of appeal less than 24 hours after the verdict while locked up in a Texas state prison.

In the filing he described himself as a “penniless, destitute, and indigent person, too poor to employ counsel to represent me on the appeal,” despite his family having collected $625,000 in crowdfunding for legal defense and living expenses. The conviction stems from an April 2025 incident at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.

Anthony and Austin Metcalf, 17, clashed inside Metcalf’s rival team’s tent during a rain delay at David Kuykendall Stadium.

Witnesses said Metcalf repeatedly told Anthony to leave, Anthony refused and warned “Touch me and find out,” Metcalf pushed Anthony, and Anthony then stabbed Metcalf in the chest. Metcalf died in his twin brother’s arms. Anthony’s self-defense claim was rejected by the jury after roughly two hours of deliberation.

An appeal does not automatically trigger a new trial, and the process could take several months to conclude, nypost.com reported.