Nov 20, 2015 4 min read

A Washington County judge next year will decide how much time Jerald Thompson should spend in prison for the shooting death of his girlfriend’s stepfather.

In the briefest of court proceedings Friday morning, Jerald Thompson, 19, pleaded guilty to the third-degree murder of Jerred Price, 42, of Washington.

Thompson entered what is known as an “open plea,” meaning the prosecution and defense did not suggest a penalty to Judge Gary Gilman.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to two counts of recklessly endangering his girlfriend, Logan Price, then 16, and her mother, Darlene Price, who were inside a vehicle as Jerred Price approached Thompson’s home on Addison Street in Washington to retrieve his 7-month-old stepgrandson.

City police charged Thompson with firing a rifle from a second-story window at Jerred Price who was struck in the head and in the back. The shooting occurred Feb. 6, the day Thompson turned 19.

Gilman heard no testimony Friday, but he ordered Washington County Adult Probation Office to perform a pre-sentence investigation in advance of Thompson’s March 2 court appearance. The judge asked the defendant a few questions about understanding the ramifications of his guilty plea, to which Thompson replied, “Yes, sir.”

At a preliminary hearing several months ago, Logan Price testified she and Thompson were not fighting the morning of the shooting. Thompson got up and took their 7-month-old son to the kitchen of his family’s home after the baby wakened. Price said she was experiencing a pain in her side, and Thompson’s mother confronted her, calling her a lazy mother. Price said she decided to leave and sent a text message before 4 a.m. to her mother to pick her up.

Logan Price said she was crying when she got into the car with her mother and stepfather, and the three of them decided to go back to the Thompson residence to get the baby. According to initial reports, Thompson and Jerred Price exchanged words at the house.

City police Lt. Daniel Stanek testified at the same hearing that Thompson told him he felt, in pulling out the weapon, he was protecting himself, his child and property. The lieutenant and Thompson spoke that day for more than an hour.

Upon leaving the courthouse, Thompson returned to Washington County jail, where he is being held without bond.

First Assistant District Attorney Chad Schneider said afterward there was no need for testimony at Friday’s proceeding because Thompson did not dispute the facts as presented by city police. He added Jerred Price’s family was consulted in advance of Thompson entering the plea, for which the maximum sentence is 40 years in prison.

Seven people, including family members and friends, attended the proceeding but did not address the court.

“It was a show of unity,” said Sean Logue, Thompson’s attorney, in the hallway outside Gilman’s courtroom. “A lot of people care about Mr. Thompson. We wanted both the public and the judge to know that Mr. Thompson is not a monster. He’s actually a very caring, loving father and son. I think them just being present relays that there are people who care about him.”

Although the sentencing is scheduled beyond the usual 90-day period, Logue said his client was willing to extend the time period.

“We want a very detailed pre-sentence report, which might take a little more time,” Logue said. “Both the first assistant and I believe Judge Gilman is very intelligent and very fair. We both trust that justice will be dispensed after he reads the detailed pre-sentence report, hears from the victims, hears from the family, hears from my client.

“We think at the end of the day, he’ll craft a sentence that will ensure justice and fairness for everybody involved.”