A district judge ruled in favor of 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony's defense team, ordering that Collin County Judge John Roach Jr. be removed from future proceedings related to the case as attorneys appeal Anthony's conviction.
Judge Sid Harle, a visiting administrative judge from San Antonio, issued the ruling during a hearing Wednesday, Aug. 19, at the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas. Harle ordered Roach's recusal and said a new judge will be appointed to oversee the appeal proceedings before a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. CT on Thursday, Aug. 20, to determine whether Anthony should receive a new trial.
Roach was the judge who presided over Anthony's June murder trial of Austin Metcalf, 17, at a high school track meet in Frisco. The
closely watched trial drew national attention and was marked by controversy, racial tensions and public demonstrations in support of both families.
The jury rejected Anthony's self-defense claim, found him guilty, and he was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Roach presided over Anthony's June murder trial in the death of Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old who was fatally stabbed during a confrontation at a high school track meet in Frisco. The case drew national attention and sparked widespread public discussion, demonstrations and online debate.
Anthony argued he acted in self-defense, but jurors rejected that claim and found him guilty. Roach later sentenced him to 35 years in prison.
Why did they want the judge recused from the case?
Anthony's attorneys argued that the court's restrictions violated his right to a public trial, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.
Those restrictions include banning cameras, livestreams, and audio recording inside the courtroom, limiting the number of seats available to the public, and imposing a gag order on attorneys, witnesses and others involved in the proceedings.
The motion filed by Anthony's attorneys also cited that Roach made several "problematic comments," including expressing his personal opinion about the verdict.
Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge removed from Karmelo Anthony murder case: What the ruling means
