BARDSTOWN, Ky. — The father-and-son duo charged in the death of Crystal Rogers will be back in court on Friday in Bardstown.
Joseph and Steven Lawson are looking to keep their trials separate from each other and the third man charged in Rogers' death, her ex-boyfriend Brooks Houck.
Both Lawsons are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in the Bardstown mother's death. Houck is charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence.
The trial is scheduled to begin next February.
In a motion filed last week, Joseph Lawson's attorneys don't believe he can receive a fair trial unless the suspects' trials are severed.
His co-defendants have also filed motions to have the trial split, but Judge Charles Simms has yet to make a final decision.
Judges typically don’t sever trials because of the burden it puts on the victim's family to go through multiple trials and the burden on taxpayers who pay for travel expenses to move court personnel to another county.
However, Lawson's attorneys argue more time will be spent at a joint trial for each defendant to cross-examine the same witnesses in an attempt to prove "their respective theories of the case through those witnesses."
“A joint trial in this case would be economical in name only,” they said.
Steve Lawson's attorneys are also expected to provide an update to Simms on whether or not they've received all the discovery from his former attorney, Ted Lavit.
At a hearing earlier this month, they accused Lavit of withholding necessary documents.
Under court order, Lavit had 14 days to turn over all the evidence to Steve Lawson's new legal team or would be required to attend Friday's hearing to explain why the judge shouldn't hold him in contempt of court.
Friday's hearing in Bardstown is expected to begin at 1:30 p.m.
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