TEXAS — Karmelo Anthony has officially initiated the appeal process just one day after being sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf at a Texas high school track meet.
Court records show that Anthony, 19, filed a notice of appeal on June 10. This is not yet a formal appeal but is the first legal step confirming the intent to take the case to a higher court.
On June 9, the jury found Anthony guilty of murder in the stabbing death of Austin Metcalf, 17, at an inter-high school track meet in Texas in 2025. Following the verdict, the judge handed down a 35-year prison sentence.
Anthony has since been transferred to the Collin County jail to serve his sentence while awaiting further legal proceedings.
The appeal comes amidst continued allegations from Anthony's family and supporters that the prosecution is racially biased.
Throughout the trial, Anthony's relatives repeatedly criticized the justice system. After the sentence was announced, some supporters outside the courthouse continued to loudly voice accusations of racial discrimination.
However, the jury rejected the defense's arguments and found Anthony guilty in the death of Austin Metcalf.
It is currently unclear what legal grounds Anthony's legal team will use in the formal appeal.
The case has garnered national attention across the United States for many months and is likely to continue to be followed as it enters the appeal stage.
