LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Joseph Lawson, the first man arrested earlier this year and charged in connection with the death of Crystal Rogers, asked a judge Thursday to reduce his $500,000 bond to $50,000 unsecured, meaning he wouldn't have to pay a bail unless he failed to show for court. 

If released on this bond, Lawson would be placed on home incarceration with GPS monitoring, according to the request by his attorneys. 

Lawson, 32, pleaded not guilty in September to criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in the Rogers case. 

The bond motion is scheduled to be heard Jan. 5, in front of Nelson County Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III.

Lawson is not charged with Rogers' murder, but prosecutors instead charged him with the lesser offense of conspiracy, meaning they believe he was involved in some fashion with whoever killed Rogers.

The maximum sentence for the conspiracy charge is 10-20 years in prison.

In addition, the indictment charges Lawson with complicity to tampering with physical evidence when he "destroyed, mutilates, concealed, removed or alters physical evidence." The maximum penalty for that charge is one to five years in prison.

In his request for a decreased bail, Lawson argued in a court filing Thursday that the $500,000 bail is "excessive, oppressive, and amounts to a denial of bail considering his socio-economic status, his presumption of innocence, and his anticipated conduct if released."

His attorneys argue he is a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair and not a danger to the community or a flight risk. 

"Simply put, his paraplegia prevents him from even having the ability to harm another," attorneys Kevin Coleman and Robert Boyd wrote in the motion. "That said, he has no intention of avoiding the jurisdiction of this Court and looks forward to mounting his defense against these allegations."

Lawson was injured in a motorcycle accident. Prosecutors have said he was naked and living in his vehicle when he was arrested. 

Lawson's attorneys said his current bond is too high and he should be given "a meaningful reduction ... that considers his socio-economic position," according to the motion. 

It is unclear where Lawson would live if placed on home incarceration.

Attorney Kevin Coleman, who represents Lawson, declined to comment on the motion. 

Brooks Houck, Rogers' boyfriend at the time of her disappearance, has also been charged with her death. She disappeared in 2015, and her body was never found. Houck, who is being held on a $10 million cash bond, is scheduled to be back in court in February 2024. 

A bond reduction request in Houck's case has already been denied by Judge Simms. 

Lawson's indictment, which does not mention Rogers by name, said the crime was committed in Nelson County on July 3 and/or July 4, 2015, when Lawson "agreed to aid one or more persons in the planning or commission of the crime or an attempt or solicitation to commit the crime when he, and/or, a co-conspirator intentionally caused the death of another."

Lawson's father, Steve Lawson, became the third man arrested in Rogers' case when he was taken into custody earlier this month.

Steve Lawson, according to a 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.

Like his son, Steve Lawson's bond has been set at $500,000 cash. A bond reduction hearing is scheduled in his case on Jan. 4. 

Related Stories:

Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.