Crystal Rogers murder case returns to court in one of Kentucky’s most closely watched trials

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Crystal Rogers murder case returns to court next week in Bowling Green with two men set to stand trial in one of Kentucky's most closely watched criminal investigations.

Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson are scheduled to go on trial just weeks after Steve Lawson became the first person convicted in the case.

Challenges for the case

Legal experts say the next trial could pose new challenges for both prosecutors and defense attorneys. Both Houck and Joseph Lawson are charged with tampering with physical evidence. In addition, Joseph Lawson is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, and Houck faces a charge of complicity to murder.

"In the Steve Lawson case, some members of the legal community were surprised that there was a conviction on the conspiracy," legal analyst Greg Simms said. "I don't think that the tampering with physical evidence charge was a surprise."

Simms said trying two defendants at the same time brings its own set of complications.

"You've already had a case in Warren Circuit. You've had this pretty sensational trial where Steve Lawson has been convicted," Simms said. "There are certainly people in Warren County who didn't know about it before and now know all about it. They've kept up with the press coverage. Your jury pool is now more tainted than it was before the Steve Lawson trial."

Details to watch for

Simms said, "I expect that there will be some interesting revelations in this trial that maybe there will be some new evidence that we did not see previously in the Steve Lawson trial, maybe some of this sealed evidence that is filed with the court. Pertains to the actual, murder of Crystal Rogers." He said, "But right now, nobody has been found that we know of. There seems like a still a lot of circumstantial evidence in this case. So really proving that he committed the murder is difficult."

The prosecution will face the greatest challenge in trying to prove the most serious charge against Houck, Simms said.

"The most difficult charge to prove in this case? I think that question is very easy to answer," he said. "It is the complicity to murder with regard to Brooks Houck. In order to prove that charge, the prosecution should have to prove that Crystal Rogers has been murdered and that, prior to the murder, that individual either solicited or counseled or commanded or engaged in some sort of conspiracy to commit the murder."

There have been several filings in the Houck and Joseph Lawson case that are sealed.

Simms said, "More importantly, I think we are not seeing the sealed evidence. The public is not seeing it. The, the outside, legal community is not seeing this."

Crystal Rogers with her two daughter before she disappeared in 2015.

He said, "The only people who are seeing the sealed documents and the sealed evidence that's filed in the case are the prosecution, the defense lawyers, the judge and the clients themselves, the defendants themselves."

Simms said, "Typically that information isn't even shared with families of victims. Aside from those people who are intimately involved in the case, nobody is seeing the sealed evidence until it's coming out at trial."

Simms said he expects some overlap in evidence from Steve Lawson's trial.

He said, "One of the things that we've got here is a lot of continuity. You've got the same judge who is presiding over these cases. You've got a lot of the same witnesses."

Questions about witnesses

Exactly who will be called as witnesses hasn't been released. Could Steve Lawson testify?

Simms said, "Totally plausible that Steve Lawson comes in and testifies during this trial. Totally plausible."

"He doesn't really have much to lose at this point. With the conviction that's already been sustained against him. So, I don't think it's unreasonable that if Steve Lawson takes the stand, I don't think it's going to be a big shocker," Simms said. "It could be possible that Steve Lawson invokes his 5th Amendment right not to testify."

When asked if Steve Lawson doesn't testify and if transcripts can be used instead, Simms said, "Typically, no. Usually those transcripts are important, and those transcripts can come in, but typically only if somebody testifies and they're used for cross-examination. The judge will instruct the jury, as they do in every criminal case. You are to base your judgment only on the evidence that came in at this trial."

Rosemary and Nick Houck

In Steve Lawson's trial, the prosecution named Brooks Houck's mother and brother — Rosemary Houck and Nick Houck — as unindicted co-conspirators. Neither has been charged.

Nick Houck and Rosemary Houck, the brother and mother of Brooks Houck. *(WDRB file images)*

"Bringing up those names can be a problem, if you don't know the judge is already OK with it," Simms said. "Judges don't like to be surprised very much. So if you bring up something that is not disclosed in evidence previously, that could be a big problem."

When asked whether it's risky to introduce names without backing them up with evidence, Simms said it may be part of a broader legal strategy.

"At this stage, they don't need to," Simms said. "They'll need to back that up in any prosecution that were to happen of Rosemary and Nick Houck. But, at this stage, it's very well possible that the prosecution just benefits from planting that seed into the jurors' head."

Steve Lawson's trial lasted just four days. The upcoming trial involving Houck and Joseph Lawson is expected to take longer.

WDRB will have team coverage on air and online of the Houck/Lawson trial from the Warren County Courthouse in Bowling Green, Kentucky beginning June 24.

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