Texas judge denies Karmelo Anthony's request for a new trial

A Texas judge on Saturday denied former professional athlete Karmelo Anthony's request for a new trial, upholding his murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence. Retired District Judge Michael Chitty reviewed the motion, the court record, evidence, briefs and relevant case law before issuing the order, which did not elaborate on his reasoning. The decision means Anthony's appeal will now move to the direct-appeal stage.

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said his office expected the ruling and expressed confidence in the verdict. > "We respect, and expected, the court’s decision denying the motion for a new trial. The jury’s guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process," Willis said in a statement.

The new-trial hearing focused on an alleged oral agreement between Anthony's original defense team and prosecutors intended to keep certain character evidence from the jury. Former defense attorneys Mike Howard and Toby Shook testified that they believed the agreement would allow Anthony to testify without opening the door to that evidence, while prosecutors argued the agreement's scope was unclear. The judge also considered claims that courtroom-access restrictions and jury instructions might have infringed Anthony's Sixth Amendment rights, but ultimately rejected the motion.