Karmelo Anthony Judge Reveals Why He Banned Cameras Inside Courtroom My Primary Goal

The Texas judge who presided over Karmelo Anthony’s murder trial has now revealed why he decided to ban cameras inside the courtroom, a decision that had garnered backlash before the trial. Judge John Roach of the 296th District Court in Collin County told WFAA-TV that it was an "easy decision" to keep cameras out of the courtroom.

"I'll tell you why, my primary goal in every case is to make sure the defendant and the prosecution get a fair trial. Period ... I know I made people mad, but I'm not here to make them happy, either," he said.

Roach further said that he attempted to balance the "extraordinarily important" right to know with limiting the amount of influence over the proceedings and the jury, and that he "sleeps well at night" in knowing he follows the law.

Roach made a surprising comment about Anthony, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the 2025 murder of Austin Metcalf.

Roach described Anthony as "a nice young man" during an interview with WFAA-TV. He said that Anthony seemed "like a nice young man" who now has a better grasp of "the consequences of committing a crime like he did."

Roach went on to say that he did not hesitate when he was assigned to Anthony's murder trial, describing the assignment as his "duty," adding that "It's what I was elected to do."

Read More | Karmelo Anthony's mom sobs before jurors sentence Austin Metcalf's killer to 35 years, 'He's very sorry for what he did'

Anthony was accused of stabbing Metcalf to death during a rain delay at a high school track meet. Before the stabbing, which took place at Memorial High School in Frisco, Metcalf had reportedly asked Anthony, who is black, to leave the event since he did not attend that school. Metcalf was white.

Anthony has now been transferred to a Texas prison to begin his sentence. He was transferred to the Wallace Pack Unit, near Houston, Texas, on Wednesday morning, June 10, after spending the previous night in county jail.

He filed a notice of appeal following his conviction, according to court records.

Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More