The family of Karmelo Anthony is embarking on a new fundraising effort, aiming to collect an additional $250,000 to finance his legal appeal. This announcement was made during a news conference held in Dallas, Texas, nearly two weeks after a judge rejected Anthony’s motion for a new trial. The previous fundraising campaign, which accumulated close to $634,000, had drawn public scrutiny over the allocation of its funds.
Anthony, 19, received a 35-year prison sentence in June after a jury found him guilty of the murder of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. He has since filed an appeal, asserting his inability to afford legal representation for the process.
New Appeal Fund Details
Attorney Russell Wilson, who supports Anthony and his family, clarified at the Dallas news conference that the newly sought $250,000 is designated to cover legal fees, expert witness costs, and other expenditures associated with challenging Anthony’s conviction. Wilson addressed potential misunderstandings, stating, “I think there’s a misconception that the motion for new trial denial would have ended an appeal. It actually is part of an appeal.”
The appeal process could extend for more than a year, according to Wilson. The trial record is anticipated to be compiled by October. Following this, both the prosecution and defense will submit their arguments in writing, potentially leading to a hearing before the Dallas Court of Appeals.
The new fundraising page specifies that all donations will be deposited into an attorney trust account, managed solely by Wilson. This arrangement ensures that Anthony’s family will not have direct access to or control over these funds. The page explicitly states that the money will be exclusively used for legal expenses, including court filings, transcripts, investigators, and expert fees.
Questions Over Prior Funds
This latest fundraising drive comes after an earlier GiveSendGo campaign, initiated in April 2025 on Anthony’s behalf, successfully raised $633,908. That campaign was subsequently removed from public view following his conviction. Organized by Anthony’s mother, the initial campaign had an ambitious goal of nearly $1.4 million. Its organizers had indicated that the donations could be applied to various needs, including legal defense, family relocation, basic living expenses, transportation, counseling, and security.
GiveSendGo stated that the funds from the initial campaign were disbursed over the preceding year for legitimate purposes, such as legal defense and assisting the family with relocation. The platform confirmed the campaign’s closure once its stated objectives were met.
During the news conference, civil rights activist Dominique Alexander, who has acted as a spokesperson for Anthony’s family, was questioned by a reporter about the new financial request and the use of the funds from the earlier campaign. The reporter also raised allegations that donations from the prior campaign were used for personal purchases, such as a car or a house.
Alexander vehemently denied these claims, stating, “These are deliberate lies. Why would we ask the question to a family to answer something that clearly was a lie?” When pressed further about the specifics of how the previous money was spent, Alexander declined to disclose details regarding the family’s fees or confirm if any funds remained from the initial fundraiser.
He did, however, explain that the original fundraiser played a crucial role in helping the family relocate due to threats they had received. “That fund was established to not only help with the legal process, but also be able to relocate this family to safety,” Alexander affirmed.
Court filings show Anthony has described himself as a “penniless, destitute, and indigent person, too poor to employ counsel to represent me on the appeal.” While records did not indicate if either the family’s companies generated revenue, held assets, or received money from the fundraiser, Anthony’s parents have not been accused of any wrongdoing.
Attorney Wilson refrained from providing further details about the defense strategy, noting that certain aspects could become significant in future legal proceedings.
Karmelo Anthony currently remains in custody as his appeal progresses.
