Judge will decide within 5 days if suspect in Crystal Rogers’ death will have $500K bond reduced
BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WTVQ) — Within five days, a Nelson County judge will decide if one of the men charged in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers should have his $500,000 bond reduced.
On Thursday, Steve Lawson appeared before Judge Charles Simms for a bond reduction hearing. Steve is being held on the $500,000 bond at the Nelson County Jail.
The hearing lasted roughly 20 minutes with Simms deciding he would need more time to determine if the bond should be reduced, according to ABC affiliate WHAS.
Steve’s defense attorney, Ted Lavit, argued that Steve has been cooperative with authorities in agreeing to provide testimony on the case. He wants his bond reduced to $20,000 or a $40,000 real estate bond.
“[Police] had their way with my client,” Lavit said. “They had their time with my client. And we stayed until the end every time.”
Special Prosecutor Shane Young argued that the $500,000 bond is appropriate.
Simms is the same judge presiding over Brooks Houck’s case, another man charged in Rogers’ death.
When Houck requested a bond reduction, the judge said Houck’s $10 million bond was “reasonable to assure Brooks’ appearance, to adequately protect cooperating witness(es) and other individuals associated with this case, and to better assure the integrity of this proceeding.”
Houck appealed to a state Appeals Court, which sided with Judge Simms.
Steve’s son, Joseph Lawson, is also facing similar criminal charges in her death.
Joseph will be in court again on Friday.
His attorneys have also asked for a bond reduction, citing that because Joseph is a paraplegic in a wheelchair, he’s not a flight risk.
