BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Within five days, a Nelson County judge will determine if one of the men charged in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers should have his half-a-million-dollar bond reduced.
Steve Lawson was arrested on Dec. 8, 2023. He is the third man charged with murder in Rogers' unsolved case.
On Thursday, Lawson appeared before Nelson County Judge Charles Simms for a bond reduction hearing. Lawson is being held on a $500,000 bond at the Nelson County Jail.
The hearing lasted roughly 20 minutes with Simms deciding he will need more time to determine if bond should be reduced.
Lawson's defense attorney, Ted Lavit, argued that Lawson has been cooperative with authorities on agreeing to provide testimony on the case. He wants Lawson's bond reduced to $20,000 or a $40,000 real estate bond.
Lavit said Lawson has been a person of interest and "target" in the investigation since 2015 due to his relationship with the main suspect in Rogers' disappearance, Brooks Houck, her former boyfriend. Lawson worked part-time for Houck, according to his attorney.
According to Lavit, Lawson has had an "extensive amount of contact" with Kentucky State Police investigators, at times with and without counsel.
"[Police] had their way with my client," he said. "They had their time with my client. And we stayed until the end every time."
After the hearing, Lavit spoke with reporters outside the courtroom. He reiterated that Lawson was offered transactional immunity for his cooperation in the investigation.
Special Prosecutor Shane Young argued that the $500,000 bond is appropriate.
Both attorneys agreed that Lawson isn't necessarily a flight risk, but Young said the bond matches the seriousness of the charges and the probable cause that was presented to the grand jury which chose to indict him.
Rogers' mother, Sherry Ballard and Rogers' daughter, Tori, were in the courtroom Thursday. Ballard could be heard crying as attorneys spoke to the judge, Tori could be seen comforting her.
Rogers' grandfather, Till Ballard, was also in attendance. No one from the family opted to speak to reporters following the hearing.
Lavit also revealed that Lawson previously struggled with alcoholism at the time of Rogers' disappearance.
Lavit was asked if that could have clouded Lawson’s memory when giving his account to investigators of what he witnessed during that time.
“I think he’s doing the best he can, and when he couldn’t remember something, The Commonwealth was all over him, attempting to grab it out of his skull," Lavit said. "But he’s done the best he can to remember.”
Lawson's son, Joseph Lawson, is also facing similar criminal charges in her disappearance.
Joseph Lawson will be in court again on Friday, Jan. 5. His attorneys have also asked for a bond reduction, citing that because Lawson is a paraplegic in a wheelchair, he is not a flight risk.
WHAS11 will be in the courtroom for that hearing as well.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.