Karmelo Anthony Secures High‑Profile Legal Team for Murder Appeal

Nineteen‑year‑old Karmelo Anthony, sentenced to 35 years for the 2025 murder of 17‑year‑old Austin Metcalf at a Frisco, Texas, track meet, has assembled a pro bono appellate team. The lawyers include Texas NAACP president Gary Bledsoe, appellate specialist Russell Wilson, veteran criminal‑defense attorney Michael Ware, and civil‑rights lawyer Brooke Crews (also listed as Brooke Cluse). Additional members cited are Sean Daredia, Justin A. Moore and others.

The team says it will conduct a fresh, independent review of the trial record and pursue every viable option on appeal. Their focus may include challenging the jury selection process – a Batson claim that the all‑White jury resulted from peremptory strikes against Black jurors – and examining possible prosecutorial errors. The appeal is expected to take roughly 18 months, with the possibility of delays.

Some reports also mention former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and attorney Gloria Allred as advisers, underscoring the high‑profile nature of the legal effort. All attorneys are working without charge, aiming to determine whether the conviction should be upheld, reduced, or overturned.