South Carolina murderer freed 16 years early was DATING prison guard who helped secure his release

Jeroid Price, 43, was quietly freed from a New Mexico prison 16 years early on March 15, after serving only 19 years of his sentence 

A South Carolina murderer was freed from prison 16 years early thanks in part to the testimony of a former prison guard - who was allegedly his lover.

Jeroid Price, 43, was convicted in 2003 of shooting Carl Smalls at a Columbia-area nightclub and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Yet he was released on March 15, after a judge secretly freed him on his last day before retiring, agreeing Price should be released without informing the Smalls family.

South Carolina's top prosecutor is now appealing.

On Monday it emerged Price's freedom was secured thanks in part to the testimony of a former prison guard, Asia Love - who was in a relationship with him, according to the attorney who helped put Price behind bars.

David Pascoe, who prosecuted Price's case in 2003, in a 2012 document said Love was Price's girlfriend. The document was given to The State newspaper.

Price was convicted in 2003 of shooting Carl Smalls (pictured) and sentenced to 35 years in prison in South Carolina

Love worked as a prison guard for the Department of Corrections from March 2006 to October 2011.

In May 2012, Love tried to get added to the visitor list for Price, and claimed to be his sister. She also failed to disclose that she previously worked as a prison guard. Her application was denied after it was confirmed she was not his sister. 

In 2019, Love pleaded for Price's release. She wrote in her letter that Price helped save her colleague Sally Fowler in 2010. 

A prisoner, Danny Thompson, had escaped from his cell and attempted to attack Fowler with a broomstick. Price intervened and restrained Thompson, protecting the guard. Love admitted she did not see the incident, but said Fowler told her about it.

According to Love, Fowler said she was on the ground when Price 'came out of nowhere' to 'save her life'.

Price's attorney, state Rep. Todd Rutherford, said that it was wrong to put too much emphasis on Love's testimony.

Attorney General Alan Wilson called for Price to be sent back to prison just an hour after the early-release order was made public on April 17

Judge Casey Manning was required by state law to send the order to the chief judge, but never did

He said on Friday he did not know if the two were ever in a relationship, but that Love's affidavit was not the key factor in Price's early release. 

He said more impactful was Price's telling someone about an escaped convict, Jimmy Lee Causey, who then told the authorities.

Causey, a violent bank robber and kidnapper, had escaped from a maximum security prison in Dorchester County and was on the run in Texas in 2017.

Price contacted someone outside of prison who then informed correction officials of Causey's whereabouts, DOC officials confirmed, aiding in his capture. 

At the time corrections got the tip, it did not even know that Causey had escaped.

A second instance of Price coming to the aid of another prison guard under attack, in 2017.

The South Carolina Supreme Court has set noon Wednesday to hear oral arguments concerning whether Price was released unlawfully and should be rearrested. 

The decision to free him, made by Judge Casey Manning, was never approved by the area's chief judge, which is required by state law.

Price was part of the Bloods street gang, and was convicted of killing football player Carl Smalls, 22, at a Colombia nightclub.

The father-of-five shot dead Smalls because he was affiliated with a rival gang, the Crips - although police said at trial he was not a fully-fledged member.

Smalls's family found out about Price's release through an automated call, with his family saying the decision is 'not fair'

Price was part of the Bloods street gang, and was convicted of killing football player Carl Smalls, 22, at a Colombia nightclub

Smalls' family found out about Price's release through an automated call, with his family saying the decision is 'not fair'.

Andrianne Smalls, brother of Carl, told News19: 'That kind leaves us in the upward because we don't know where he's at, what are his intentions. We don't know anything.

'We just celebrated 20 years of his death and a couple months afterward now we're hearing that he's free.

'Just finish up your 16 years that you have and be done, and we'll go from there. But this right here is not fair.'

The family is urging him to finish his time, after the AG requested a bench warrant for Price's arrest.

Smalls' father, Carl Jr, added: 'I was just devastated. They weren't going to say nothing; it was a done deal. 'We're the law, this is what we did and you folks deal with it.'

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