Attorney Todd Rutherford plans on filing new petition regarding Jeriod Price

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The attorney for convicted murderer Jeriod Price announced he plans to petition for another sentence reduction hearing following the South Carolina Supreme Court’s order for Price to serve out the remainder of his 35-year sentence.

In a Wednesday news conference, attorney Todd Rutherford said he plans on petitioning Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson for a sentence reduction hearing.

Gipson and Rutherford had previously worked together on a highly controversial and secretive order which led to Price’s release 16 years early in March 2023. The original reduction came after Price provided information which helped lead to the recapture of an escaped inmate.

“The solicitor has already evidenced his intent with what was already done and he speaks for the state, and the state has already evidenced their intent by his filing and so we just plan to follow up on that,” Rutherford said.

WIS has reached out to Gipson for comment.

An order from the South Carolina Supreme Court released Wednesday morning vacated the lower court’s order that reduced the sentence for convicted murderer Jeroid Price.

The order states the courts did not have the authority to allow Price to be released from prison. According to South Carolina state law, anyone convicted of murder must serve a minimum of 30 years.

The Supreme Court ordered that Jeroid Price, 43, will now remain in the custody of the South Carolina Department of Corrections and must serve the remainder of his sentence.

In December 2022, former Richland County Judge Casey Manning signed and sealed an order cutting Price’s sentence to 19 years. Price was released in March of this year.

The order came under intense criticism this month over its secrecy, questions about court procedure, and arguments the law wasn’t followed.

The state supreme court quickly overturned that decision and ordered Price back to prison immediately, but he never returned, prompting a months-long search. Price was captured in July in New York and was returned to prison.

Rutherford stated Price’s extended period on the run does not play a role in any potential hearing.

“The police arrested him, he went without a fight, he simply came back and simply turned himself in when they knocked on his door,” Rutherford said.

Rutherford said Price’s safety in the South Carolina Department of Corrections is a concern given his release of information about an escaped inmate.

“As the court addressed, the safety of Mr. Price and said that could be taken care of, I didn’t see any guidance on exactly how to do that,” he said.

Jeroid Price was sentenced to 35 years in prison for killing college football player Carl Smalls, Jr. in 2002.

Attorney General Alan Wilson sent the following letter to Solicitor Byron Gipson regarding Jeriod Price:

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