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· collected 2026-09-06 · by Greg Wehner
Karmelo Anthony's family is seeking an additional $250,000 for his murder appeal after a previous campaign raised nearly $634,000, despite questions about how the money was spent. The new fundraising push comes after a judge denied Anthony's request for a new trial and he claims he cannot afford to hire an attorney for the appeal. Attorney Russell Wilson is administering the new trust account where donations will be deposited, which is expected to cover legal fees and other costs associated with challenging Anthony's conviction. The previous fundraiser raised $633,908 before being removed from public view, but questions remain about how the money was spent, including allegations it was used to buy a car or house.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Karmelo Anthony’s 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 Dallas, Texas.
asserted
family → seek → Dallas
The fundraising push came nearly two weeks after a judge denied Anthony’s request for a new trial.
asserted
judge → come → trial
His family and supporters, including attorney Russell Wilson, used the Dallas news conference to outline the appeal.
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family → include → appeal
Anthony, 19, was sentenced to 35 years in prison in June after a jury convicted him of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.
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jury → sentence → Frisco
He has appealed and says he cannot afford to hire an attorney for the appeal.
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he → appeal → appeal
The new fund is intended to cover legal fees, experts and other costs associated with challenging Anthony’s conviction, Wilson said.
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Wilson → intend → conviction
"I think there's a misconception that the motion for new trial denial would have ended an appeal," Wilson said.
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Wilson → think → appeal
Wilson said the appeal could take more than a year.
uncertain
appeal → say → year
The trial record is expected to be assembled in October.
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record → expect → October
After that, both sides will make their case in writing, and the Dallas Court of Appeals could hold a hearing.
uncertain
Court → make → hearing
The request follows a GiveSendGo campaign launched on Anthony’s behalf in April 2025 that raised $633,908 before it was removed from public view following his conviction.
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it → follow → conviction
The earlier campaign was organized by Anthony’s mother and initially set a fundraising goal of nearly $1.4 million.
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campaign → organize → million
Organizers said donations could be used for legal defense, moving the family, basic living expenses, transportation, counseling and security.
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donations → say → family
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.
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purpose → say → family
The new campaign page says donations will be deposited into an attorney trust account administered by Wilson and that Anthony’s family will not receive or control the money.
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family → say → money
The page says the funds will be used only for legal expenses, including filings, transcripts, investigators and experts.
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funds → say → filings
The page listed a $250,000 goal and $30,194 raised when viewed by Fox News Digital.
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page → list → Digital
Trinicia Ricks is identified as the campaign’s creator, while Wilson is listed as the person who will receive the funds.
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who → identify → funds
A reporter pressed Dominique Alexander, a civil rights activist who has served as a spokesman for Anthony’s family, about the new request and what happened to money raised through the earlier campaign.
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what → press → campaign
The reporter also asked about claims that donations were used to buy a car or house.
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donations → ask → car
"These are deliberate lies," Alexander said.
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Alexander → say → ?
"Why would we ask the question to a family to answer something that clearly was a lie?"
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that → ask → something
When asked where the previous money went, Alexander declined to explain the family’s fees or say whether any funds remained.
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funds → ask → fees
Alexander said the original fundraiser also helped the family relocate after they faced threats.
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they → say → threats
"That fund was established to not only help with the legal process, but also be able to relocate this family to safety," he said.
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he → establish → safety
Public records reviewed by Fox News Digital previously showed Anthony’s parents, Andrew Anthony III and Kala Hayes, were connected to business entities in Louisiana and Texas.
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parents → review → Louisiana
A Texas entity listing Andrew Anthony III as its registered agent became active 24 days after Metcalf’s death.
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entity → list → death
The records did not show whether either company generated revenue, held assets or received money from the fundraiser.
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company → show → fundraiser
Anthony’s parents have not been accused of wrongdoing.
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parents → accuse → wrongdoing
Anthony has since described himself in court filings as a "penniless, destitute, and indigent person, too poor to employ counsel to represent me on the appeal."
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Anthony → describe → appeal
Wilson declined to provide additional details about the defense strategy, saying some issues could become important in future proceedings.
uncertain
issues → decline → proceedings
Anthony remains in custody while the appeal moves forward.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Wilson for comment.
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Digital → remain → comment
