Lexington County Judge Considers Defendant’s Immunity Claim in 2022 Columbiana Mall Shootout
The fate of a man involved in a shootout at the Columbiana Centre mall on Easter weekend 2022 is currently being examined by a Lexington County judge. Judge Walton McLeod is considering whether Jewayne Price, the defendant, was merely defending himself and, therefore, should be immune from prosecution.
Price, along with two others, stands accused of attempted murder and aggravated assault arising from the mass shooting at the mall. Attorneys Todd Rutherford and Austin Nichols have proposed that Price ought to be granted immunity under the state’s Stand Your Ground law, a topic that became the center of a three-day pre-trial hearing this week.
Defendant’s Argument
In presenting their case, Rutherford and Nichols suggested that Price had felt endangered during the incident. A mall patron testified that he appeared to be in fear, or being “hunted,” and Rutherford submitted that Price had reacted according to the law. The defense claims that the threat emerged from Amari Smith and Marquise Robinson, Price’s co-defendants in the case.
Stand Your Ground Law
The legal basis put forward by the defense, established in 2006, defines the limited circumstances under which citizens of South Carolina may be “immune from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of deadly force.” Rutherford posited that Mr. Price was within his rights to act as he did.
State’s Rebuttal
The prosecution, on the other hand, contends that Price recklessly brought a gun into the mall that day, thereby fostering an atmosphere of violence that he had previously embraced. According to 11th Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard, Price knew that people were after him and willingly courted danger.
Mutual Combat
The argument from the Solicitor suggests that this case is a question of mutual combat, implying that both parties were prepared for a fight but not a shootout. Hubbard further notes that Price did not seek refuge in a store or contact law enforcement because he did not intend to withdraw.
Social Media Evidence
The state also cited social media messages in which Price appears to goad groups linked with Amon Rice, a teenager tragically slain in 2018. The defense countered this by maintaining that these messages are a year old and do not alter the fact that Price felt targeted.
Proceedings and Consequences
While all sides now have been given 15 days to submit briefs, a decision could be forthcoming at any time. No trial dates have been set as yet. If Price is found to be immune under the Stand Your Ground law, it may set a precedent for future cases related to self-defense in public spaces.
