BARDSTOWN, Ky. — A judge has delayed Joseph Lawson's next court hearing in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers.
Lawson, 32, was the first man arrested in connection to Rogers' 2015 disappearance. He is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence.
He was scheduled to have a pre-trial hearing in Nelson County Circuit Court on Thursday, but Judge Charles C. Simms III has pushed that date back to Jan. 5, 2024.
It's unclear at this time why the court hearing was moved back, however both the prosecution and defense have agreed to the move.
Who is Joseph Lawson?
A Kentucky State Police detective executed a warrant on Lawson in August 2023, two months after a grand jury indicted him on the two charges.
According to the indictment, both charges stem from an incident on Fourth of July weekend in 2015. That is the same weekend Rogers was reported missing and just days before her keys, phone and purse were found inside her car on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway.
Lawson is accused of destroying, mutilating, concealing, or removing physical evidence and aiding in the commission or planning of a crime that intentionally caused the death of another person.
In September, Lawson appeared over video for his arraignment. He was in a hospital bed at the time. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and his bond was set at $500,000.
During that hearing, Lawson’s attorney Kevin Coleman told the judge he had not yet had a chance to speak with his client, due to him being in the hospital. At that point, the judge set an initial pre-trial hearing for Thursday, Oct. 26.
What to expect in court
Lawson's pre-trial hearing has been pushed back to Jan. 5, 2024.
During that hearing, Coleman and Special Prosecutor Shane Young are expected to discuss logistics of the case moving forward to trial. That could include a trial date, the extent of discovery that will be filed, and how much time the defense team will need to review the discovery.
Attorneys could discuss the possibility of consolidation, which would mean Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson could be tried together. Houck is the other person charged in Rogers' case.
Lawson's name may sound unfamiliar, but this isn't the first time we've heard the name come up in this investigation. WHAS11 discovered a possible link between the two suspects dating back to 2015.
Houck is Rogers' former boyfriend and has been the main suspect in her disappearance since October of 2015. He was not arrested or charged until eight years later.
In September 2023, Houck was arrested and charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence.
At his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to both charges. His bond is set at $10 million cash. He's also ordered to have no contact with Rogers’ family.
Houck's next court date is scheduled roughly a month after Lawson's on Feb. 8, 2024.
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