Jeriod Price had served more than half of a 35-year prison sentence for murdering another man at a nightclub in 2002. The authorities in South Carolina warned the public that he was dangerous and “could be anywhere in the world,” pleading for information that could aid their sudden, frantic search. A prominent judge, just a day before his own retirement, had signed and then sealed an order clearing the way for Mr. Price’s release from prison in March, even though he still had some 16 years remaining on his sentence. A month later, the South Carolina Supreme Court overruled the judge’s order. Mr. Price failed to surrender, setting off a manhunt with officers from law enforcement agencies combing the state and beyond.

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