LOUISVILLE, Ky., (WDRB) -- A judge cut the bond from $500,000 to $250,000 for Steve Lawson, meaning he is likely to remain in jail until his trial on charges of criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in the Crystal Rogers case.
Lawson's attorney, Theodore Lavit, had asked the judge for a bond of $20,000 cash or $40,000 property, which Lavit acknowledged Lawson would still likely have trouble posting.Â
In a ruling Tuesday, Nelson Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III pointed out that when Lawson learned he was going to be indicted in the case last month, he failed to show up for work and was arrested after police tracked his phone to his mother's home in Indiana.
In a hearing last week, Lavit argued Lawson's employer sent him to Indiana that day for work, which was not unusual.
But Simms said Lavit did not put on any witnesses during the hearing to prove that and it is "highly suspicious" that Lawson was in another state shortly after learning a grand jury would likely be indicting him, according to the ruling.
Simms agreed to lower the bond, in part because Lawson does not have a violent criminal history and is only a moderate flight risk, but kept it above Lavit's request given the serious nature of the allegations and potential long prison sentence.Â
If Lawson, 53, does post bond, he will have a dusk to dawn curfew except for work and medical emergencies, stay away from alcohol and have no contact with the Rogers family or any co-defendants.
Lawson, according to the Dec. 6 Nelson County indictment, 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 is 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, 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 last week 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 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.
Related Stories:
- Steve Lawson pleads not guilty, asks for bond to be lowered in Crystal Rogers case
- 3rd man charged in Crystal Rogers' death was offered immunity by federal investigators, attorney says
- 'There was solicitation' | Attorney drops bombshell allegations in Crystal Rogers case
- A 3rd Nelson County man charged for alleged involvement in 2015 death of Crystal Rogers
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