Judge Pulled From Next Phase of Karmelo Anthony Case

An administrative judge on Wednesday ordered a Texas trial judge off the next stage of 19-year-old Karmelo Anthony's case. The Dallas Morning News reports Judge Sid Harle said he believed District Judge John Roach Jr. could preside fairly over the motion for a new trial, but that the decision had to be made through the eyes of "a reasonable member of the public." As such, he granted the recusal. Anthony was sentenced in June to 35 years for killing Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet in Frisco.

His lawyers argued a retrial was warranted in part because Roach spoke publicly after the trial, including telling TV station WFAA the jury "got it right" and calling Anthony "a nice young man who committed a crime." The AP reports Anthony attended the hearing in Collin County in a green jumpsuit; his parents and Metcalf's parents were present as well. Anthony supporters cheered in the courthouse hallways upon hearing the ruling, with people in the parking lot yelling, "Free Karmelo!" The Morning News calls the timeline tight, noting the court has just 75 days—that deadline is Monday—to rule on Anthony's motion. If it does not do so by then, the motion will automatically be denied.