Murder suspect asks to move out of Lexington jail for shoulder rehab. Judge issues ruling.
A Lexington murder suspect who recently underwent shoulder surgery will remain incarcerated at the Fayette County Detention Center despite an attempt to get moved to a different facility for better treatment.
Jerry Price, 40, who has been charged with murder in connection to 40-year-old Ricky Williams Jr.’s death, had the surgery completed in March. Price’s attorney, Sarah Langer, asked that Price be moved out of the Fayette County jail after he allegedly received inadequate treatment for months, despite a judge’s orders that he get medical treatment and be allowed to attend physical therapy. In that time, Price has also been tasered by Fayette County jail staff in the area of his injury.
But Fayette Circuit Judge Kimberly Bunnell ruled Friday that Price will remain lodged at the Fayette County jail, denying Langer’s motion to have her client transferred to Luther Luckett Correctional Complex for medical treatment. Bunnell said she was told Price had been scheduled for four physical therapy sessions, two of which happened June 7 and 16.
Price said the jail started a new program but he was unaware of any future rehab sessions.
“As of right now, I find that they are accommodating the medical needs,” Bunnell said.
Langer added that Price will have to undergo an additional operation in the future, requiring more rehab. She cited concerns about the jail’s preference to do virtual physical therapy, which wouldn’t be adequate for Price’s recovery.
Bunnell still elected to keep Price incarcerated at the Fayette County jail as long as he continues to have the option to attend physical therapy.
Price has been incarcerated at the Fayette County jail for more than a year on the murder charge, according to jail records. Price allegedly shot and killed Williams after a verbal altercation stemming from a minor vehicle collision.
The motion to have Price moved from the Fayette County jail to Luther Luckett Correctional Complex in La Grange was filed June 15, roughly three months after the surgery, according to court documents.
Price underwent antrhoplasty for the acromoclavicular joint in his left shoulder, according to court documents. Antrhoplasty is a surgical procedure meant to restore the function of a joint, according to John Hopkins Health.
Langer said in court documents the surgery was necessary. Physical therapy is also necessary to restore proper mobility in the shoulder, she said.
Six days after the surgery, Langer filed a motion for compassionate release so Price could attend physical therapy sessions at the Kentucky Clinic Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, according to court documents. The motion was denied by Bunnell, but she ordered that Price receive medical treatment and attend his schedule physical therapy sessions while still being housed at the Fayette County jail.
Langer wrote in her June 15 motion that she wasn’t aware of any physical therapy that Price had been able to attend, though Bunnell clarified Friday that he had attended two sessions just before and after the motion was filed.
Langer wrote in her motion that adhesive capsulitis was starting to set in to Price’s shoulder. The issue leads to inflammation which causes stiffness, pain and possible loss of range of motion of the shoulder, according to the National Institutes of Health.
On May 19, Price’s shoulder was further injured after he a corrections officer deployed a taser on him, according to court documents. There was a facility emergency response activation at the jail and Price was resisting officers, said Maj. Matt LeMonds with the jail.
“A lower application level of the taser, called a Drive Stun, was activated on inmate Price’s shoulder for approximately a half of a second,” LeMonds said.
Price complied with officers and was checked out by medical staff after the incident, LeMonds said.
Price’s bond remains at $500,000, according to court records.
