Attorney for 1 of 3 men charged in Crystal Rogers case says his only involvement was taking object from her car

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- An attorney for Steve Lawson, one of three men arrested in the disappearance of Crystal Rogers, told a judge on Thursday that evidence produced in the case so far indicates Lawson had nothing to do with her death.

And attorney Theodore Lavit also told Nelson Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III that Lawson, sometimes without an attorney present, met repeatedly with investigators and they had an agreement he would not be prosecuted.

"He has cooperated at all times," answering all questions for investigators, Lavit said. "Their questions were exhaustive, repetitive."

Lavit's comments came during a hearing where he requested Lawson's bond be reduced from $500,000 to $20,000 cash or $40,000 in property.

Simms said he would decide in the next five days.

Lawson was indicted on criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence charges in the Rogers case along with his son, Joseph Lawson, and Brooks Houck.

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.

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."

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

"My client was never asked to move that car, and never volunteered to move it," Lavit said. "My client had nothing to do with removing the car from the Bluegrass. The only thing he took out of that car was a Louisville Slugger toy bat that seemed like a childhood toy that Joey kept with him and that was in the backseat. He moved that seat in order to get that bat."

Lavit said Lawson gave the bat to his son as they left.

He maintained that Lawson knew nothing about Rodgers' disappearance.

"My client said he would never harm that girl and never knew that she was going to be harmed," Lavit said. Lawson "doesn't know what happened to Crystal."

In all of the evidence thus far turned over to Lavit, "there's not one line talking about my client hurting or being involved" in the disappearance of Rogers.

Lavit also said police have information that Houck wanted her harmed, though he would not say how he learned that. He previously told WDRB there was evidence of "solicitation" by Houck to find someone to kill Rogers.

Lawson was brought to a Nelson County courtroom in handcuffs and an orange jail-issued jumpsuit for the bond-reduction hearing.

Lavit told the judge that Lawson has cooperated, is not a flight risk and wants to "extricate himself of any guilt" associated with the indictments.

Shane Young, who is the Hardin County Commonwealth's Attorney but is prosecuting the case as a special assistant for the Attorney General’s office, said he was not going to talk about any claims of a deal not to prosecute Steve Lawson.

(Lavit said the prosecution had offered a deal of immunity for information, which Lawson accepted.)

As far as being a threat to flee, Young said he told Lawson the day before he was going to be indicted and Lawson didn’t show up for work the next day and went to Indiana. And Young said there is additional evidence that will be turned over to Lavit that will show more of Lawson's involvement.

Young also said the grand jury has heard proof that Lawson "has made admissions," but he did not go into details.

Lavit said Lawson did work that day in Indiana, which is not unusual.

After eight years of investigation, Lawson was the third man charged in Rogers' disappearance in recent months.

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

During the hearing, Lavit told the judge that Lawson was an alcoholic at the time Rogers disappeared.

"He is not using that as a shield for telling the truth," Lavit later told a reporter. "He is telling all he can remember."

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. He 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.

In September, Joseph Lawson was charged with criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with Rogers' death. He is also in jail on a $500,000 bond.

Houck and both Lawson men will appear in court in Nelson County on Feb. 8.

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Attorney for 1 of 3 men charged in Crystal Rogers case says his only involvement was taking object from her car