A trial date was set Thursday for the three men charged in connection to the 2015 murder and disappearance of Crystal Rogers.
Brooks Houck, Steven Lawson, and his son Joseph Lawson made their appearance at Nelson County Circuit Court on Thursday. During the court hearing, Special Prosecutor Shane Young asked to set the trial date to February 10, 2025. Young plans to file a motion to try all three defendants together.
Houck’s attorney Brian Butler says he is likely to object and is still having discussions surrounding a change of venue for trial. In a post-court statement, Attorney Ted Lavitt said he has “mixed feelings” about the three being tried together.
During court, Young said the prosecution is still working to get discovery to defense attorneys, which he says should be complete by March 15. A court date for review is scheduled for March 21.
Also discussed was a motion filed by Joseph Lawson’s attorney to lower is $500,000 bond. Defense attorney Kevin Coleman argued for a lower bound and home incarceration, which would be at a treatment facility. He said because his client is paraplegic, his flight risk is lowered.
Commonwealth argued against the lowering of Lawson’s bond, saying “there’s no reason” to give him any chance to get out of jail, having on several occasions committed different felonies. He says the $500,000 bond currently set is fair due to the seriousness of the charges and Lawson’s criminal history.
The commonwealth said Lawson is also a risk of obstructing justice in this case because once he found out that he was subject to the investigation, he is alleged to have called friends and associates to cover for him to give him an alibi on July 3, 2015, when Rogers went missing.
This was the first in-person appearance made by Joseph Lawson. It was also the first time the father and son had seen each other since their arrest.
This summer will be nine years since Rogers disappeared. A family friend of Rogers, Willie Downs said the family is happy to finally see movement in Crystal’s case. However, Downs said there needs to be more people indicted. The family believes there are more people connected to the case than those who have already been arrested.
Source: WAVE
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