BARDSTOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — An attempt by one of the suspects in the Crystal Rogers murder case to have the case against him tossed out failed on Wednesday after a judge denied Steven Lawson's dismissal motion.
Rogers disappeared around July 4, 2015 in Bardstown and her body was never found.
Rogers’ ex-boyfriend, Brooks Houck, is charged with murder in her disappearance while Steven Lawson and his son Joseph Lawson are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence.
Judge Charles Simms denied Lawson’s motion to dismiss. In the order, Simms wrote that while an immunity agreement was made during Steven's discussions with law enforcement, Steven made “wildly inconsistent” statements to investigators and therefore breached the agreement by being untruthful.
One inconsistency Simms pointed to in his order was Steven's statements to investigators about a call between him and Houck on the night of Rogers’ disappearance.
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Steven at one point told authorities that he made the call to inquire about an apartment for his daughter, according to the order. He later told a Nelson County Grand Jury that the call was to “let Brooks Houck know the job is done,” the order read.
Simms also ruled Wednesday that Lawson would be able to decide if he wants to exclude statements he made in several interviews he did with law enforcement.
In the interviews in question, investigators made statements that would qualify the discussions as “plea discussions,” rendering them inadmissible, according to the order. However, Simms found that Steven testimony to a grand jury in the case would not be excluded.
Lawson is set to appear in court on Aug. 8 to inform the judge whether he wishes to exclude the interviews in question.
