The family of convicted killer Karmelo Anthony is seeking an additional $250,000 in donations on top of the roughly $634,000 already raised, despite questions about how previous funds were spent and the fact that his attorneys are working pro bono.
Anthony’s family and legal team held a press conference in Dallas on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after a judge denied his request for a new trial.
Anthony, who was 17 at the time, claimed he acted in self-defense when he stabbed fellow 17-year-old Austin Metcalf in the heart at a Texas high school track meet on April 2, 2025.
The case shocked America, with the killing of a white teenager by a black peer quickly becoming a flashpoint in debates over race, politics and privilege.
A previous fundraiser collected hundreds of thousands before it was taken down after a jury rejected Anthony’s self-defense claim and convicted him of murder. Anthony, now 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prison on June 9.
The Daily Mail previously revealed that Anthony’s family relocated to a $900,000 home in an exclusive neighborhood after allegedly receiving threats at their former residence.
The family used the $515,000 raised in April 2025 to support ‘the safe relocation of the Anthony family due to escalating threats to their safety and well-being, as well as basic living costs, transportation, counseling, and other security measures,’ according to the previous GiveSendGo description.
Despite the conviction, his parents have vowed to continue fighting for their son.
The family of convicted killer Karmelo Anthony is seeking an additional $250,000 in donations to help support his appeal after his new trial bid was denied by a judge
Anthony was found guilty of murdering Austin Metcalf on June 9 and subsequently sentenced to 35 years in prison
‘We love you, son. We’re going to keep fighting. And this is not over,’ Anthony’s father, Andrew Anthony, said.
To fund the appeal, the Karmelo Anthony Legal Fund was launched and has already raised more than $30,000.
‘All contributions will be deposited directly into an attorney trust account administered by lead attorney Russell Wilson. Karmelo’s family will not receive, control, or spend these funds,’ the GiveSendGo page states.
‘Contributions will be used solely for legal expenses, briefs and filings, transcripts, investigators, experts, and other necessary litigation costs.’
Anthony’s attorneys said the appeals process could stretch into 2027.
During the press conference, NBC 5 questioned the legal team about how the previous donations had been spent. Dominique Alexander, president of NGAN, declined to answer.
‘We’re not gonna comment on that. We don’t know all of the information regarding those different fees,’ Alexander said.
Anthony’s lawyers later said his legal expenses have exceeded $300,000.
Anthony admitted stabbing Metcalf at a track meet in Frisco but maintained that he acted in self-defense.
To fund the appeal, the Karmelo Anthony Legal Fund was launched and has already raised more than $30,000
Anthony’s parents have spoken out, claiming he did not get a fair trial and vowed to ‘keep fighting’
The jury rejected that argument and also declined to convict him on the lesser charge of manslaughter.
After roughly three hours of deliberations, jurors found Anthony guilty of murder and sentenced him to over three decades in prison.
Following the conviction, Anthony’s parents argued their son did not receive a fair trial and vowed to appeal.
Two months later, Anthony assembled a new six-lawyer legal team, which has argued that his rights were violated during the proceedings.
Judge Roach, who presided over the trial, was later removed from the case after Anthony’s attorneys argued that he imposed overly strict courtroom rules and gave an interview after the trial concluded.
Roach sat for an 18-minute interview with WFAA in Dallas, during which he said he had followed the law ‘to a T’ and acknowledged that the trial ‘started off bad.’
He also said he was ‘ticked’ when AI-generated images falsely claiming to depict scenes from inside the courtroom began circulating online. Cameras and photography were prohibited during the proceedings.
After Anthony’s murder trial, the judge who presided over the case released a trove of evidence, like this image of the Memorial High School tent where the stabbing happened on April 2, 2025
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Defense attorney Russell Wilson argued the interview should not have taken place because Roach knew the case would be appealed.
Anthony’s supporters contend he acted in self-defense after being bullied, shoved and provoked.
Critics argue the stabbing was a disproportionate response that did not need to end in death.
Metcalf was unarmed when Anthony stabbed him in the heart.
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