Supporters of Karmelo Anthony chant as they pose for photos outside the Collin County Courthouse after Judge John Roach Jr. was recused from the next phase of Anthony’s murder trial, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in McKinney.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
Cheers erupted in the Collin County courthouse Wednesday after Judge Sid Harle ruled District Judge John Roach Jr. must be removed from the next steps of Karmelo Anthony’s case.
Roach presided over the Frisco teen’s June trial, where the 19-year-old was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet.
Anthony’s attorneys successfully argued that public statements Roach made after the trial — as well as his move to eliminate an overflow room after jury selection — compromised Anthony’s ability to receive a fair trial.
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Anthony’s next hearing, where his legal team will attempt to secure a new trial for the teen, is scheduled for Thursday. Here’s what to know about what’s next.
Judge John Roach Jr., the presiding judge of the 296th District Court, poses for a photo with his Boykin Spaniel named Justice in his courtroom in the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, TX, Friday, June 12, 2026. Roach presided over the Karmelo Anthony murder trial.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
Who is Judge Roach?
Roach, who has been on the bench since 2007, is a well-known conservative judge in Collin County. Attorneys who argued cases before Roach previously told The Dallas Morning News he has a reputation for being clear and straightforward.
The judge is set to retire when his term expires on Dec. 31.
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Related: Judge John Roach Jr. recused from next steps of Karmelo Anthony’s case
Roach is no stranger to high-profile cases — he previously oversaw the trial of Brandon McCall, who was sentenced to death in 2020 after he was convicted of killing a Richardson police officer.
Why was Roach recused?
While Harle said he personally believed Roach could preside fairly over Anthony’s case, he ultimately found the evidence presented by the defense compelling enough to rule that Roach must step down from the case.
Anthony’s lawyers took a two-pronged approach to argue for Roach’s recusal: pointing to public statements as a sign of Roach’s apparent bias, and homing in on his decision to eliminate access to an overflow room as a “structural error.”
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Russell Wilson, Anthony’s lead counsel, played an 18-minute audio clip of Roach’s interview with WFAA to start Wednesday morning’s proceedings.
In the recording, Roach said he believed the jury “got it right,” and that Anthony “committed a crime.” The statements, Wilson argued, violated the Texas Judicial Code of Conduct, which instructs judges to abstain from commenting publicly about ongoing proceedings.
Related: Karmelo Anthony trial: Jury hands down 35-year sentence
Wilson also focused on Roach’s decision to completely cut off access to an overflow room during the trial — without providing an on-the-record explanation — as a violation of Anthony’s Sixth Amendment right to a public trial.
“We believe we have shown, overwhelmingly, that Judge Roach should be recused,” Wilson said.
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Supporters of Karmelo Anthony chant as they pose for photos outside the Collin County Courthouse after Judge John Roach Jr. was recused from the next phase of Anthony’s murder trial, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026, in McKinney.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
What did the state say?
Collin County prosecutor Bill Wirskye told the court Wednesday he was unsure if the state should have been a party to the hearing: “I don’t know if it’s our job to defend Judge Roach or not,” he said.
Wirskye noted both parties — the state and the defense — agreed to the rules Roach set in place to “protect the integrity of the trial.” He also honed in on the defense citing an open letter Roach wrote after the trial to the “Collin County family,” stating gratitude does not compromise a judge’s ability to be fair.
“It’s too bitter a pill to swallow, your honor,” Wirskye said. “From where we sit, those of us who lived it, he didn’t do anything wrong.”
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Roach did not respond to a request for comment from The News.
Who will preside over the hearing for a new trial?
Judge Ray Wheless, the presiding judge of the 1st Administrative Judicial Region, assigned retired judge Michael Chitty to preside over the next phase of Anthony’s case, in which Anthony’s appellate attorneys will argue that the teen should have a new trial. That hearing will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Collin County courthouse.
Related: Who is Michael Chitty, the new judge in Karmelo Anthony’s case?
Former Gov. Rick Perry appointed Chitty to serve as the first Judge of the 422nd Judicial District Court of Kaufman County in 2004. Chitty retired from his position as senior judge at the end of 2020.
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Chitty did not immediately respond to a request for comment via email from The News.
What does this mean for Anthony?
The recusal is a win for Anthony’s legal team — but David Finn, a Dallas defense attorney and former criminal trial judge not involved in the case, believes it will likely be the last success for this stage of hearings.
Finn said Harle likely granted the recusal, which is a rare move, in an “abundance of caution.”
Related: ‘Efficient and consistent with justice’: Judge offers inside look at Karmelo Anthony trial
“This is the most prudent approach to have a fresh set of eyes grade the paperwork,” he said.
Finn maintained that the request for a new trial will almost certainly be denied — unless the defense presents a serious issue that has yet to come to light.
Staff writer Jamie Landers contributed to this report.