BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Thursday was supposed to be a routine hearing on evidence in the Crystal Rogers case, but before the judge was able to start the discussion, Steve Lawson raised his shackled hand and requested to speak.
"I need to say something to court sir,” Lawson said to the judge.
Judge Charles Simms responded, "What is it you're wanting to say?"
Steve Lawson is one of three men charged in the disappearance and death of Crystal Rogers. His son, Joseph Lawson, and former employer Brooks Houck are also charged.
Both Lawsons are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence. Houck is charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence. Rogers was last seen alive Fourth of July weekend in 2015.
In court Thursday, Steve Lawson faced away from his attorney, appearing frustrated. Once given permission to speak, he stood and addressed the judge.
"It’s come to my attention, I’m not trying to knock nobody, but my attorney is not doing his job for me anymore. I can't use his, I don’t know what you call it, his counsel anymore sir,” Lawson told the judge.
"Are you saying you want a different attorney," Simms asked.
"Yes sir. That’s exactly what I’m saying sir. I'm sorry I did not make myself clear,” Lawson responded.
Lawson accused his attorney Ted Lavit of providing ineffectual counsel and told the judge he wants a public defender until he figures out what he can afford.
The judge asked Prosecutor Teresa Young about the decision to remove the attorney, and she echoed Lawson’s concerns.
“We have serious concerns about whether Mr. Lawson has had conflict-free counsel in his representation,” she said. “Mr. Lavit has been meeting with Books Houck’s attorneys behind his back.”
Young said her concerns started earlier this year, stating she first noticed “peculiarity going all the way back to March between these two defendants and the motions that have been filed in this case.”
She pointed to motions filed into court record, explaining out of the thousands of pages of evidence in the case, documents filed on behalf of Brooks Houck and Steve Lawson would use the same quotes, phrased the same and sometimes even including the same misquotes. She said it “defies reason that they would be exactly the same.”
She also accused Lavit of being unfamiliar with the motions and reasoning behind them when probed in court.
"I don't know what's going on here," Young said. "But I know that it’s something that the court needs to inquire about. It’s disturbing. I’m not sure Mr. Lawson has received conflict-free counsel. I'm not sure he's had what he is entitled to under the Sixth Amendment."
Attorney Ted Lavit sat quietly by his client, until the judge asked him to respond to the allegations.
"I have done my best at this point in time without any conflict whatsoever concerning my client," Lavit said.
He left the courtroom quickly at the end of the hearing and did not take any questions from reporters.
The judge asked for a public defender to be ready to represent Steve Lawson at the next hearing, set for Aug. 22 at 1:30 p.m.