Lawyers for Crystal Rogers investigation suspect Brooks Houck are objecting to the special prosecutor’s motion to consolidate the cases against Houck and suspects Steven Lawson and Joseph Lawson into one trial, and allege that prosecutors targeted the Lawsons in order to target Houck.
The motion filed with the Nelson Circuit Court Friday states that Houck needs to be tried separately from the Lawsons due to the “exposure of a myopic and biased investigation”, Houck’s entitlement to impeach Joseph Lawson and/or Steven Lawson with all of their statements, and the fact that redactions to records would not protect Houck’s Sixth Amendment rights. The filing’s conclusion states that: “there is no way for the Commonwealth to introduce evidence against all three defendants at a joint trial without violating the Kentucky Rules of Evidence, violating Brook’s Sixth Amendment rights, or both”.
The filing alleges that prosecutors lack proof that Crystal Rogers is deceased and “there is no crime scene, murder weapon, or realistic motive for the alleged crime.”, and the prosecution has relied on pressure put on the Lawsons in order to get information needed to indict and detain Houck.
March 21 will be a busy day in the Nelson Circuit Court as the court will consider the prosecution’s motion to consolidate, motions by Houck and the Lawsons for a change of venue, a motion by Steven Lawson’s attorney to dismiss the charges against him, and a motion by Joseph Lawson’s attorney asking for the identity of expert witnesses in the case to be disclosed.
