YORK COUNTY, S.C. — Ricky Price, one of two men beaten by officers during a controversial arrest in Rock Hill in June, was denied bond by a judge Wednesday morning.
The judge declined Price's request for a bond, saying he had prior drug charges and was already out on bond when the incident happened. Price and his attorney were seeking a bond of $10,000. The judge said if previous cases aren't resolved by October, he will review again.
"All the violence that day was perpetrated by the police officers," Price's attorney said. "This really ought to be Mr. Price standing here asking for bond for four misdemeanors."
Justin Bamberg, a South Carolina state legislator who represented Price and his brother, Travis Price, said Ricky's nose was broken during the arrest.
Ricky Price is facing charges of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, carrying a pistol unlawfully and resisting arrest. A judge dropped the charge of possession of a firearm by a violent offender last month.
Price was arrested on June 23 outside a gas station in Rock Hill. Video of the incident quickly went viral, and one of the officers, Jonathan Moreno, was fired and charged with third-degree assault and battery for his actions.
The original narrative from Rock Hill police said they pulled Price over for an illegal turn while driving but found a gun and drugs in his car. They claimed he was resisting arrest after officers unlocked his handcuffs to give his jewelry to his brother, Travis Price. A press release about the arrest said Travis Price refused to comply with orders and claimed he made repeated, physical contact with officers.
Investigators later released multiple bodycam videos of the incident that showed Travis Price had already been speaking with other officers and was complying with instructions given to him. Moreno appeared to be unaware of those instructions and confronted Travis Price.
Charges against Travis Price were dropped and he is now suing the city of Rock Hill. Bamberg called the situation a "textbook case of defamation."
"By issuing a press release to the media that was riddled with lies and mistruths about what occurred with Mr. Price on June 23, the Rock Hill Police Department changed his life in a devastating way," Bamberg said in his statement. "Those false statements were reiterated in a press conference on June 24."