Judge issues gag order for Frisco ISD track meet stabbing, Karmelo Anthony case
A gag order regarding the fatal stabbing at a Frisco ISD track meet has been issued by a Collin County judge, CBS News Texas confirmed.
This gag order issued by Judge John Roach applies to anyone associated with the defense or the prosecution on the case.
The order includes witnesses, expert consultants, agents, law enforcement personnel, courthouse staff and court-appointed officials.
The gag order states, "The court finds that extensive pre-trial publicity poses a serious risk to the fairness of the trial."
It also extends to family members and those who speak on behalf of families.
Both of the families involved have made public statements since the April 2 stabbing, when Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf had an altercation that authorities say led to Metcalf's death during a Frisco ISD track meet inside a high school stadium.
Legal experts tell CBS News Texas that gag orders are common in high-profile cases and generally don't benefit one side over the other.
"You see it to protect the integrity of the proceedings," said criminal defense attorney Jeremy Rosenthal. "We saw this in the Bryan Kohberger Idaho murder case, there was a gag order in effect during that entire case, which is now being released. It doesn't mean the public isn't going to get to see everything at some point; it just means that for the integrity of the process, the judge is sort of freezing things in place information-wise wise going forward."
Protective order issued for subpoenaed info
Tuesday was also a court-ordered deadline for Frisco ISD to hand over personal information for all of the student witnesses who were inside the stadium on the day of the stabbing.
Roach issued a blanket protective order Tuesday morning to keep that information private, which can include information about a student's "... education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history."
The protective order states that all of that information will now be kept in a secure court file and "... reviewed only by the attorneys representing the defendant or attorneys representing the State of Texas."
Anyone else will need permission from the court.
The Frisco ISD track meet stabbing
In one of the most talked-about murder cases in the country this year, Anthony, the now 18-year-old accused of fatally stabbing another teen during an altercation at a Frisco ISD track meet in early April, was indicted for murder by a Collin County grand jury in June.
Anthony, who was 17 at the time of the incident, was arrested on April 2 in connection with the stabbing death of 17-year-old Metcalf during a track meet at Kuykendall Stadium.
The teen, who is facing a first-degree murder charge, has been on house arrest since being released on a reduced bond on April 14. If convicted, Anthony could face a possible sentence of 5-99 years or life in prison.
The jury trial is still scheduled for June 1, 2026. The gag order will remain in place until the end of the trial. Those who violate it could face fines and sanctions.
