LOUISVILLE, Ky., (WDRB) -- An attorney for Steve Lawson has asked that the charges against him in the Crystal Rogers murder case be dismissed — or at least that his statements be thrown out — because he was promised immunity for talking with investigators.

Attorney Theodore Lavit will argue in a court hearing March 21 that Lawson was interviewed by the Nelson County Commonwealth's Attorney's office and the FBI repeatedly in the years since Rogers disappeared in 2015 and, "from the very beginning," police and prosecutors made it clear any statements made would not be used against him.

In the motion to dismiss filed Tuesday, Lavit argued Lawson was offered immunity on June 8, 2023, and included several snippets of interviews with investigators:

"I want you to be comfortable that anything you say, it's not going to be held against you," one detective allegedly told Lawson, according to the motion. 

"We are offering you the opportunity of a lifetime," an investigator allegedly said. "You can say whatever you want, as long as it is 100 percent the truth, regardless of the incriminating nature of what you say and you can walk out of here today."

In a Dec. 6 indictment, Lawson allegedly agreed to "aid one or more persons in the planning or commission" of the death of another and then "destroyed, mutilated, concealed, removed" or altered physical evidence on July 3 or July 4, 2015, when Rogers disappeared.

After eight years of investigation, Lawson was the third man charged in Rogers' disappearance in recent months. His son, Joseph Lawson, and Brooks Houck have also been indicted.

Rogers was last seen with her boyfriend, Houck, during the Fourth of July weekend in 2015. Her car was left running on the side of Bluegrass Parkway with her purse still inside. She's presumed dead, but her body was never found.

Steve Lawson has been indicted on charges of criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence. He has pleaded not guilty. 

Lawson, who did part-time construction work with Houck, talked with him by phone shortly after Rogers' disappearance.

During a police interrogation after Rogers disappeared, Houck was asked about Steve Lawson and said Lawson was "somebody that works for me."

In that police interview, Houck called Lawson, who answered and said to Houck, "I just want to tell you I'm sorry about everything that's going on in your life brother, I got you in my prayers."

Lavit has told WDRB that Steve Lawson's son, Joseph, "drove Crystal's vehicle west on the Bluegrass (Parkway) to, I believe it was Mile Marker 14 or 16, where he had a flat tire."

And Lavit said in an interview that Steve Lawson picked his son up and also removed a miniature Louisville slugger bat from the vehicle.

In the motion filed in Nelson Circuit Court this week, Lawson's attorney claimed the prosecutor in the case, Shane Young, promised that whatever Lawson told investigators would not be used against him.

"It's on record, it's on tape, whatever you say to me I am not going to use against you," Young allegedly told Lawson.

Lawson agreed to talk because of these promises and provided testimony in front of the Nelson County grand jury hearing the case in September 2023, Lavit argued in the motion.

A detective told the grand jury that Lawson was testifying "based on an agreement between you attorney and the Commonwealth Attorney," according to the motion. "That's a full cooperation agreement." 

Young declined to comment for this story. In the motion, Young is quoted as saying Lawson must been 100 percent truthful for the immunity deal to go through. 

Lavit argued in the motion that at the very least, the comments made by his client should not be used against him as he was promised immunity and fully cooperated.

"It's as clear cut as it gets," Lavit said in the motion. "Prosecutor Young and his police detectives all dangled the carrot of immunity and repeatedly told him they they needed more and said things like he has to come all the way."

The judge, Lavit argued, should not let prosecutors "welsh on its promise of immunity." 

In September, Joseph Lawson was charged with criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the death of Rogers.

Houck, the primary suspect in the disappearance of Rogers, was arrested Sept. 27, after being charged with complicity to murder and tampering with physical evidence.

Houck was the last person seen with Rogers, his former girlfriend and the mother of his 10-year-old son.

He has pleaded not guilty and is in jail on a $10 million bond.

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