The national chairwoman of the New Black Panther Party stood outside a Texas courthouse this week and demanded the release of Karmelo Anthony, a man convicted of murder — a demand that came just one day before prosecutors revealed explosive new evidence that had been hidden from the original jury.
Krystal Muhammad, who has led the group since 2013, erupted into chants of “Black Power” outside the Collin County Courthouse after a visiting judge removed District Judge John Roach Jr. from Anthony’s post-trial proceedings, according to The Gateway Pundit. Supporters of Anthony treated the recusal as a major victory, even though it does not overturn his conviction or his 35-year prison sentence.
“Black Power. It’s about goddamn time. Our power to the people. That’s the first step. Now we need for Karmelo [Anthony] to be released,” Muhammad shouted, per the outlet’s reporting.
Muhammad went on to accuse Judge Roach of “racist acts,” alleging that the court barred people from a public hearing and failed to give the jury instructions on self-defense — claims that echo the arguments made by Anthony’s lawyers in their motion for a new trial.
Why the Judge Was Recused
The recusal stems from comments Roach made to a reporter after the trial, when he said the jury “got it right.” Anthony’s attorneys argued those remarks suggested Roach could not impartially consider their motion for a new trial.
Visiting Judge Sid Harle agreed and removed Roach from the case. But the ruling does nothing to erase the conviction — it simply means a different judge will now hear the motion for a new trial.
Anthony was convicted of murder in the stabbing death of a victim at a track meet. Police body-camera footage captured Anthony telling officers, “I’m not alleged. I did it,” according to The Gateway Pundit’s prior reporting.
New Evidence Emerges
The celebration outside the courthouse took on a new dimension Thursday, when prosecutors in Collin County disclosed evidence that had not been presented to the original jury.
During the new-trial hearing, prosecutor Bill Wirskye told the court that Anthony’s former girlfriend had reported him for allegedly stalking her on the morning of the killing. Prosecutors also described text messages in which Anthony allegedly wrote that he was “on the verge” and fantasized about stabbing someone and licking the blood from the blade.
According to the hearing, Anthony’s former girlfriend contacted school officials about an hour before Anthony stabbed the victim at the track meet.
The evidence was withheld from the original trial under an agreement between prosecutors and defense attorneys that limited the introduction of damaging character evidence about both Anthony and the victim, The Gateway Pundit reported.
A History of Racial Framing
The New Black Panther Party’s involvement is not new. The Gateway Pundit previously reported that group members gathered outside the courthouse after Anthony’s conviction and attempted to cast the murder case as a racial issue.
“We got to tell our kids the truth that this is a racist-ass country!” one activist shouted at the time. “This is a war!”
Muhammad joined the New Black Panther Party in 2002 and previously led its Houston chapter before becoming national chairwoman in 2013, according to the organization’s own biography. The group is not officially connected to the original Black Panther Party.
Despite the procedural victory, Anthony remains in prison. The recusal does not grant him freedom, and prosecutors have now placed new evidence on the record that could complicate his push for a new trial.
Muhammad’s call for Anthony’s release came one day before that evidence was made public — a timing that underscores the fraught intersection of racial politics and criminal justice that has come to define this case.
Source: www.thegatewaypundit.com — https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/08/meet-new-black-panther-party-chairwoman-demanding-freedom/