FORMAL PETITION FOR EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY AND A FULL PARDON FOR KARMELO SINCERE ANTHONY
The Issue
OFFICIAL FORMAL PETITION FOR EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY AND A FULL PARDON FOR KARMELO SINCERE ANTHONY
https://unitegive.com/c/help-the-anthony-family
TO: The Honorable Gina Hinojosa, Governor-elect of Texas
FROM: Concerned Citizens, Community Advocates, and Supporters of Karmelo Anthony
DATE: November 6, 2026
RE: Request for Executive Clemency, Full Pardon, and Review of Constitutional and Procedural Concerns
Dear Governor-elect Hinojosa:
We, the undersigned citizens, advocates, parents, community leaders, and supporters of equal justice, respectfully petition you to make the case of Karmelo Sincere Anthony a priority for executive clemency consideration upon assuming the Office of Governor of Texas.
Your historic election represents more than a change in political leadership. It presents an opportunity to restore public confidence in the administration of justice and demonstrate that the State of Texas is capable of examining even its most controversial criminal convictions with independence, courage, and fairness.
We ask that Karmelo Anthony's case receive that examination.
I. A Young Life, a Tragic Death, and a Disputed Claim of Self-Defense
On April 2, 2025, an altercation between two teenage students during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, ended in the tragic death of Austin Metcalf.
Karmelo's supporters acknowledge a tragedy does not relieve the State of its responsibility to ensure that every defendant receives a constitutionally fair trial.
Karmelo Anthony, who was 17 years old at the time of the incident. He maintained a 3.8 GPA, was Captain of the football and track team and maintains that he acted in self-defense.
Austin Metcalf and his brother Hunter and others threatened and assaulted Karmelo which caused Karmelo to act in self defense. Austin was a troubled student with multiple infractions, inclusive of threatening teachers, students, using racial slurs and having more than 53 instances of violence towards his peers and parents.
On June 9, 2026, a Collin County jury convicted him of murder and sentenced him to 35 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The severity of that sentence, the defendant's age at the time of the incident, the disputed circumstances surrounding the confrontation, and subsequent challenges to the trial proceedings warrant extraordinary scrutiny.
II. Serious Questions Concerning the Fairness of the Proceedings
The responsibility of the criminal justice system is not merely to secure convictions. Its fundamental obligation is to administer justice in accordance with the Constitution.
Following his conviction, Karmelo Anthony's legal representatives raised substantial concerns involving:
The right to present a complete defense. The defense challenged the circumstances surrounding an evidentiary agreement that allegedly influenced Anthony's ability to testify on his own behalf.
Public access to judicial proceedings. Questions were raised regarding courtroom restrictions and whether those restrictions compromised the constitutional principle of an open and public trial.
Judicial impartiality. The recusal of the original trial judge from subsequent proceedings raises questions worthy of examination in the context of the entire record.
The presentation and exclusion of evidence. The defense has challenged decisions involving potentially relevant character evidence and their effect on the presentation of the self-defense claim.
The proportionality of punishment. A 35-year sentence imposed on a defendant who was a minor at the time of the incident warrants thoughtful consideration of the circumstances, his youth, and the purposes of punishment.
These issues have been raised through legal proceedings and should be evaluated against the complete record. We do not ask your administration to assume that every allegation has been proven.
We ask that they not be dismissed without serious, independent examination.
III. Executive Clemency Is an Instrument of Justice
Article IV, Section 11 of the Texas Constitution establishes the framework for gubernatorial clemency, subject to the recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Executive clemency exists because the criminal justice system, while essential, is not infallible.
A jury verdict is deserving of respect, but it does not extinguish the responsibility of government to examine claims of constitutional error, extraordinary circumstances, or excessive punishment.
The power of clemency is not simply a mechanism for forgiveness. It is an important safeguard against miscarriages of justice and a means of tempering punishment with mercy when circumstances warrant.
The pending appellate proceedings should continue without interference. Executive review and appellate scrutiny can serve distinct, lawful functions.
IV. Our Formal Requests
We respectfully call upon Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa to undertake the following actions upon assuming office:
FIRST: Direct appropriate members of your administration to examine the publicly available trial, post-trial, and appellate records relating to Karmelo Anthony, including the constitutional and procedural concerns raised by his attorneys.
SECOND: Exercise your authority, when appropriate, to request consideration by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles under 37 Texas Administrative Code §143.11.
THIRD: Give full and fair consideration to a recommendation for a complete gubernatorial pardon if the record and applicable clemency standards support such relief.
FOURTH: Consider commutation or other lawful executive clemency as alternative relief if a full pardon is not recommended or granted.
FIFTH: Ensure that any executive review is conducted fairly, transparently to the extent permitted by law, and without political pressure or prejudgment of the pending appeal.
V. A Defining Opportunity for Your Administration
Governor-elect Hinojosa, Texans have entrusted you with an extraordinary responsibility.
That responsibility includes protecting the rights of individuals whose cases are politically controversial, publicly misunderstood, or deeply divisive.
True leadership requires the willingness to examine difficult questions even when the answers may be unpopular.
Karmelo Anthony was 17 years old when his life changed forever. He now faces the prospect of spending decades in prison following a case in which significant questions concerning his defense and the fairness of the proceedings remain subjects of legal challenge.
His future deserves more than political indifference.
It deserves careful consideration of the facts, the Constitution, and the availability of mercy under Texas law.
We are not asking you to disregard the rule of law. We are asking you to ensure that the rule of law is applied with fairness, integrity, and humanity.
The pursuit of justice for Austin Metcalf and the protection of Karmelo Anthony's constitutional rights are not mutually exclusive responsibilities.
Texas must be capable of honoring both.
VI. Our Appeal
We call upon you to demonstrate that a new administration can usher in a renewed commitment to justice without regard to race, economic status, public controversy, or political affiliation.
Let this case receive a review worthy of its seriousness.
Let the evidence be examined.
Let the constitutional questions be answered.
Let every lawful avenue for relief be considered.
And where the record warrants it, let clemency prevail.
We respectfully petition Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa to initiate the appropriate review process and, upon a favorable recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, grant Karmelo Sincere Anthony a full pardon.
Respectfully submitted,
The Undersigned Petitioners and Supporters of Karmelo Sincere Anthony
Petition Organizer: Tiffney Billions
Signature: Tiffney Billions
Date: November 6, 2026
Supporting signatures to be attached.
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Case identification:
Trial Court: 296th Judicial District Court, Collin County, Texas
Trial Cause No.: 296-83565-2025
Appellate Court: Fifth Court of Appeals, Dallas, Texas
Appeal No.: 05-26-00840-CR
Case: Karmelo Sincere Anthony v. The State of Texas
2,038
The Issue
OFFICIAL FORMAL PETITION FOR EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY AND A FULL PARDON FOR KARMELO SINCERE ANTHONY
https://unitegive.com/c/help-the-anthony-family
TO: The Honorable Gina Hinojosa, Governor-elect of Texas
FROM: Concerned Citizens, Community Advocates, and Supporters of Karmelo Anthony
DATE: November 6, 2026
RE: Request for Executive Clemency, Full Pardon, and Review of Constitutional and Procedural Concerns
Dear Governor-elect Hinojosa:
We, the undersigned citizens, advocates, parents, community leaders, and supporters of equal justice, respectfully petition you to make the case of Karmelo Sincere Anthony a priority for executive clemency consideration upon assuming the Office of Governor of Texas.
Your historic election represents more than a change in political leadership. It presents an opportunity to restore public confidence in the administration of justice and demonstrate that the State of Texas is capable of examining even its most controversial criminal convictions with independence, courage, and fairness.
We ask that Karmelo Anthony's case receive that examination.
I. A Young Life, a Tragic Death, and a Disputed Claim of Self-Defense
On April 2, 2025, an altercation between two teenage students during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas, ended in the tragic death of Austin Metcalf.
Karmelo's supporters acknowledge a tragedy does not relieve the State of its responsibility to ensure that every defendant receives a constitutionally fair trial.
Karmelo Anthony, who was 17 years old at the time of the incident. He maintained a 3.8 GPA, was Captain of the football and track team and maintains that he acted in self-defense.
Austin Metcalf and his brother Hunter and others threatened and assaulted Karmelo which caused Karmelo to act in self defense. Austin was a troubled student with multiple infractions, inclusive of threatening teachers, students, using racial slurs and having more than 53 instances of violence towards his peers and parents.
On June 9, 2026, a Collin County jury convicted him of murder and sentenced him to 35 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
The severity of that sentence, the defendant's age at the time of the incident, the disputed circumstances surrounding the confrontation, and subsequent challenges to the trial proceedings warrant extraordinary scrutiny.
II. Serious Questions Concerning the Fairness of the Proceedings
The responsibility of the criminal justice system is not merely to secure convictions. Its fundamental obligation is to administer justice in accordance with the Constitution.
Following his conviction, Karmelo Anthony's legal representatives raised substantial concerns involving:
The right to present a complete defense. The defense challenged the circumstances surrounding an evidentiary agreement that allegedly influenced Anthony's ability to testify on his own behalf.
Public access to judicial proceedings. Questions were raised regarding courtroom restrictions and whether those restrictions compromised the constitutional principle of an open and public trial.
Judicial impartiality. The recusal of the original trial judge from subsequent proceedings raises questions worthy of examination in the context of the entire record.
The presentation and exclusion of evidence. The defense has challenged decisions involving potentially relevant character evidence and their effect on the presentation of the self-defense claim.
The proportionality of punishment. A 35-year sentence imposed on a defendant who was a minor at the time of the incident warrants thoughtful consideration of the circumstances, his youth, and the purposes of punishment.
These issues have been raised through legal proceedings and should be evaluated against the complete record. We do not ask your administration to assume that every allegation has been proven.
We ask that they not be dismissed without serious, independent examination.
III. Executive Clemency Is an Instrument of Justice
Article IV, Section 11 of the Texas Constitution establishes the framework for gubernatorial clemency, subject to the recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Executive clemency exists because the criminal justice system, while essential, is not infallible.
A jury verdict is deserving of respect, but it does not extinguish the responsibility of government to examine claims of constitutional error, extraordinary circumstances, or excessive punishment.
The power of clemency is not simply a mechanism for forgiveness. It is an important safeguard against miscarriages of justice and a means of tempering punishment with mercy when circumstances warrant.
The pending appellate proceedings should continue without interference. Executive review and appellate scrutiny can serve distinct, lawful functions.
IV. Our Formal Requests
We respectfully call upon Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa to undertake the following actions upon assuming office:
FIRST: Direct appropriate members of your administration to examine the publicly available trial, post-trial, and appellate records relating to Karmelo Anthony, including the constitutional and procedural concerns raised by his attorneys.
SECOND: Exercise your authority, when appropriate, to request consideration by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles under 37 Texas Administrative Code §143.11.
THIRD: Give full and fair consideration to a recommendation for a complete gubernatorial pardon if the record and applicable clemency standards support such relief.
FOURTH: Consider commutation or other lawful executive clemency as alternative relief if a full pardon is not recommended or granted.
FIFTH: Ensure that any executive review is conducted fairly, transparently to the extent permitted by law, and without political pressure or prejudgment of the pending appeal.
V. A Defining Opportunity for Your Administration
Governor-elect Hinojosa, Texans have entrusted you with an extraordinary responsibility.
That responsibility includes protecting the rights of individuals whose cases are politically controversial, publicly misunderstood, or deeply divisive.
True leadership requires the willingness to examine difficult questions even when the answers may be unpopular.
Karmelo Anthony was 17 years old when his life changed forever. He now faces the prospect of spending decades in prison following a case in which significant questions concerning his defense and the fairness of the proceedings remain subjects of legal challenge.
His future deserves more than political indifference.
It deserves careful consideration of the facts, the Constitution, and the availability of mercy under Texas law.
We are not asking you to disregard the rule of law. We are asking you to ensure that the rule of law is applied with fairness, integrity, and humanity.
The pursuit of justice for Austin Metcalf and the protection of Karmelo Anthony's constitutional rights are not mutually exclusive responsibilities.
Texas must be capable of honoring both.
VI. Our Appeal
We call upon you to demonstrate that a new administration can usher in a renewed commitment to justice without regard to race, economic status, public controversy, or political affiliation.
Let this case receive a review worthy of its seriousness.
Let the evidence be examined.
Let the constitutional questions be answered.
Let every lawful avenue for relief be considered.
And where the record warrants it, let clemency prevail.
We respectfully petition Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa to initiate the appropriate review process and, upon a favorable recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, grant Karmelo Sincere Anthony a full pardon.
Respectfully submitted,
The Undersigned Petitioners and Supporters of Karmelo Sincere Anthony
Petition Organizer: Tiffney Billions
Signature: Tiffney Billions
Date: November 6, 2026
Supporting signatures to be attached.
---
Case identification:
Trial Court: 296th Judicial District Court, Collin County, Texas
Trial Cause No.: 296-83565-2025
Appellate Court: Fifth Court of Appeals, Dallas, Texas
Appeal No.: 05-26-00840-CR
Case: Karmelo Sincere Anthony v. The State of Texas
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Petition created on November 6, 2026