Judge in Karmelo Anthony Murder Trial Stands by Controversial Conviction: ‘I Sleep Well at Night’

When Texas teenager Karmelo Anthony was found guilty of murdering fellow high school track athlete Austin Metcalf earlier this week, the verdict sparked outrage. But Judge John Roach Jr., who presided, is standing by his handling of the controversial case.

The Collin County, Texas judge sat for an interview with a local news station, where he was asked about his decision to bar cameras from the courtroom, one that critics said fueled speculation around the case. Roach called it “an easy decision,” saying that he made the call “to make sure the defendant and the prosecution get a fair trial.”

“I know I made people mad but I’m not here to make them happy either,” said Roach, noting that he felt that the media and the public was provided enough access to the courtroom to know what was going on.

Roach then addressed the online rumors that he was acquainted with the Metcalf family before the trial. “I wouldn’t know Mr. Metcalf prior to this trial if he walked up to me and said ‘hello,’” said the judge.

“As long as I follow the law, I sleep well at night,” he said. And he maintains that the jury—which has been heavily scrutinized for not including any Black people in a case with a Black defendant—reached the correct verdict.

“Yes they did [reach the correct verdict] because they were picked based upon the law, they listened to the facts, it happened in this courtroom, and they got a verdict,” he said.

Anthony, 19, and Metcalf got into an altercation at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas in April 2025 which resulted in Anthony stabbing Metcalf with a knife. Anthony’s legal team argued that it was self defense, but he was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

The case has sparked discussion about the racial dynamics at play, specifically with regard to the jury selection and whether Anthony’s race played a part in the sentence he received.

When asked about the defendant, Judge Roach had this to say: “He seems like a nice young man who committed a crime and he understands today more than any day before the consequences of committing a crime like he did.”