Texas Judge Imposes Media Blackout on Karmelo Anthony Murder Trial: Only 9 Reporters Allowed, No Cameras, No Livestreams — Family Spokesperson Previously Called Case a ‘Fight Against White Supremacy’
Collin County District Judge John Roach Jr. has issued sweeping new restrictions on media coverage for the upcoming murder trial of Karmelo Anthony, the teenager charged with fatally stabbing 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet last year.
The order, signed Friday in the 296th District Court, severely limits press access and bans all recording devices.
Citing the intense public interest and the precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court in Sheppard v. Maxwell, Judge Roach claimed that excessive media coverage could prejudice the trial.
Under the new rules, which go into effect for the trial scheduled to begin June 1:
- The courtroom opens at 8:30 a.m. with staggered entry: credentialed media at 8:30 a.m., victims’ and defendant’s families at 8:40 a.m., and the general public at 8:50 a.m. Doors close at 9:00 a.m. with no re-entry until recess.
- Only nine credentialed media members are permitted inside the courtroom at any time. The Collin County Public Information Office will manage all credentials and seating.
- No photography, video, audio recording, livestreaming, or any visual/audio capture is allowed by media or the public.
- No images or recordings of witnesses, prospective jurors, or jurors may be published.
- Media interviews with trial participants are prohibited inside the courtroom and can only occur after the trial ends.
- Strict decorum is required — no reactions, outbursts, talking, signs, or gestures.
- All attendees must clear security screening.
- Trial exhibits will not be released until after the verdict.
The Collin County Sheriff’s Office will enforce the order, with violations potentially resulting in removal, loss of credentials, or contempt charges.
As The Gateway Pundit reported last June, shortly after Anthony’s indictment, the family appointed spokesperson, Dominique Alexander of the Next Generation Action Network (NGAN), publicly characterized the upcoming murder trial as a “fight against white supremacy.”
Alexander stated, “This case is yet another example of what it means to be Black in America, where even our self-defense is questioned, scrutinized, and politicized.”
He added, “To the racists, the bigots, and those filled with hate who’ve targeted Karmelo, his family, and even myself — you do not intimidate us. We are not backing down.”
Alexander further said that NGAN would ensure Anthony receives “a fair trial — free from lies, outside interference, and bigotry,” and urged supporters to “stand with us in the fight against white supremacy [and] support the truth and due process.”
Anthony killed Metcalf on April 2, 2025, at a Frisco Independent School District track meet at Kuykendall Stadium.
According to authorities, a fight began when Metcalf, a student-athlete at Frisco Memorial High School, told Anthony, then 17 and attending Frisco Centennial High School, to move from under a team tent.
Anthony allegedly warned, “Touch me and see what happens,” before pulling a knife and stabbing Metcalf in the chest when Metcalf grabbed him.
The teen thug admitted to the stabbing at the scene but has claimed self-defense.
He was indicted on first-degree murder and is being tried as an adult. If convicted, he faces 5 to 99 years in prison.
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