Karmelo Anthony is asking the court to appoint an attorney for his appeal after claiming he cannot afford to hire one himself.
The request comes after Anthony was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas.
In court filings, Anthony described himself as a “penniless, destitute, and indigent person” who is too poor to pay for legal counsel on appeal.
That statement has now drawn public scrutiny because of the large amount of money previously raised on his behalf through an online fundraiser.
A GiveSendGo campaign launched for Anthony on April 15, 2025, less than two weeks after Metcalf’s death, raised $633,908 before it was removed from public view following his conviction.
Organizers said the fundraiser was created to help Anthony and his family deal with expenses connected to the case.
Those expenses reportedly included legal fees, relocation costs, and other needs that came after the case gained national attention.
GiveSendGo later said the money had been distributed for lawful purposes, including legal defense and family relocation expenses.
Still, Anthony’s request for a taxpayer-funded appeal lawyer has raised questions about whether any of that money remains available for his legal fight.
Public records reviewed by Fox News Digital also show that Anthony’s parents, Andrew Anthony III and Kala Hayes, have been connected to multiple business entities in Louisiana and Texas.
One company, Angelic Obsessions LLC, was formed in Louisiana in July 2021 before becoming inactive after its registration was revoked in November 2024.
Texas records show the same entity became active in Texas on April 26, 2025, just 24 days after the fatal stabbing that led to Anthony’s arrest.
The Texas filing lists Andrew Anthony III as the registered agent and uses an Arlington address as the company’s registered office.
Another company connected to Anthony’s parents, Exclusive Luxury Services LLC, was formed in Louisiana in 2016 and later went through several administrative changes before becoming inactive after a second revocation in November 2023.
The public records do not show that either company received fundraiser money, generated revenue, or played any role in Anthony’s legal expenses. For now, the court must decide whether Anthony qualifies for a court-appointed appeal lawyer, while the questions surrounding the fundraiser and family business filings continue to fuel public debate.
