Karmelo Anthonys family is seeking another $250,000 to fund his appeal after an earlier campaign raised nearly $634,000 and faced questions over how the money was spent, the family announced at a news conference in .
The fundraising push came nearly two weeks after a judge denied Anthonys request for a new trial. His family and supporters, including attorney Russell Wilson, used the Dallas news conference to outline the appeal.
Anthony, 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prison in June after a jury 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. He has appealed and says he cannot afford to hire an attorney for the appeal.
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The new fund is intended to cover legal fees, experts and other costs associated with challenging Anthonys conviction, Wilson said.
“I think there’s a misconception that the motion for new trial denial would have ended an appeal,” Wilson said. “It actually is part of an appeal.”
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Wilson said the appeal could take more than a year. The trial record is expected to be assembled in October. After that, both sides will make their case in writing, and the could hold a hearing.
The request follows a GiveSendGo campaign launched on Anthonys behalf in April 2025 that raised $633,908 before it was removed from public view following his conviction.
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The earlier campaign was organized by Anthonys mother and initially set a fundraising goal of nearly $1.4 million. Organizers said donations could be used for legal defense, moving the family, basic living expenses, transportation, counseling and security.
GiveSendGo said the money had been distributed over the previous year for lawful purposes, including legal defense and moving the family, and that the campaign was closed after its stated purpose was completed.
The new campaign page says donations will be deposited into an attorney trust account administered by Wilson and that Anthonys family will not receive or control the money. The page says the funds will be used only for legal expenses, including filings, transcripts, investigators and experts.
The page listed a $250,000 goal and $30,194 raised when viewed by Fox News Digital. Trinicia Ricks is identified as the campaigns creator, while Wilson is listed as the person who will receive the funds.
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A reporter pressed Dominique Alexander, a civil rights activist who has served as a spokesman for Anthonys family, about the new request and what happened to money raised through the earlier campaign. The reporter also asked about claims that donations were used to buy a car or house.
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