“It shouldn’t have happened” Parents of slain football player react to killer’s re-arrest

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The convicted killer released early from prison is back in police custody tonight and could be facing more time in prison.

Jeroid Price was located and arrested in New York at an apartment complex in the Bronx. He was taken into custody without incident after being on the run for more than 70 days. Price was serving a 35-year prison sentence for the murder of former USC and UNC football player Carl Smalls Jr. and tonight, we’re hearing from his family now that their son’s killer is back behind bars.

Lillie and Carl Smalls Sr. tell WIS last night was their first full night of sleep since they learned that Jeroid Price was on the run 77 days ago and while there hopeful he’ll spend more time in prison, their trust in the justice system has been tainted.

“We are on top of the world. We are so excited about him being back where he belongs,” said Lillie Smalls, the victim’s mother.

The parents of the late Carl Smalls Jr., learned of the Price’s capture through a phone call from Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott.

“Getting the news didn’t come the way I thought. I thought I would be watching the news and hear that they’ve caught him,” said Lillie Smalls.

The search for Jeroid Price began after the state supreme court overturned a controversial sealed order that granted Price an early release from prison for the killing of former USC and UNC football player Carl Smalls Jr. After the ruling Price was ordered back to prison to finish out his 35-year prison sentence after serving just 16 years, but he never returned.

“We were always worrying. When they gonna catch him and it’s just the whole saga, it just brings us back to day one. 2002 when it happened,” said Carl Smalls Sr., the victim’s father.

A tip originally given to law enforcement in South Carolina led authorities to an apartment complex in the Bronx area of New York where Price was arrested. The Smalls say it was perfect timing as they just sent a formal complaint letter to the office of Disciplinary Counsel demanding Price’s defense attorney Todd Rutherford, 5th circuit solicitor Byron Gipson and now retired Judge Casey Manning all be held able for the role they played in Price’s early release.

“It puts a face to what we’ve been saying, everything is magnified. Price was on the run because of an illegal deal that happened,” said Smalls Sr.

“And it shouldn’t have happened, and we were addressing that. Law enforcement did their job bringing him back, but the judicial system failed us and we were addressing the judicial system,” he added.

Attorney Todd Rutherford has been quite vocal about his concerns regarding his client’s safety, calling for the push to get Price back behind bars as a political move.

“It’s sickening to hear Todd talk like that. Your client, issued a death sentence to our son,” said Smalls Sr.

Jeroid Price will still have to go before a magistrate judge in a federal New York court before he can be transported back here to South Carolina. He now faces a federal charge of unlawful flight from the federal government which if convicted carries a sentence of up to 5 years in prison.

The Department of Corrections says they will take precautions to ensure Price’s safety while incarcerated. They plan to keep him in a high-security unit, saying his movement will be very restricted.

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