Grand jury recording in Crystal Rogers case sparks proposed Kentucky legislation

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Secretly recording a grand jury is illegal. But when Brooks Houck and his family committed the crime in the Crystal Rogers case, there were no consequences because of the statute of limitations.

Now, a Bardstown lawmaker is working to change that.

Sherry Ballard, Rogers' mother, said she reached out to her local representative, Rep. Candy Massaroni, before her daughter's murder trial even started last July, hoping to change state law.

But a bill to crack down on recording grand jury proceedings bill couldn't be filed until the state's legislative session began this January.

If passed, House Bill 305 would extend the statute of limitations from one year to 10 years.

In the Rogers murder investigation, the recordings weren't found until years later during an FBI search. They were found by investigators in pants pockets and a bag full of bingo stamps. But the Houck family was not charged the statute of limitations had already passed.

"I don't want any family to go through what I've had to deal with in my daughter's murder and my husband's, and if I can stop that from happening for another family, this bill is very important to everyone, not just me," Ballard said Tuesday. "So my statute of limitations ran out, but if they change the law, somebody else's won't. Because in a murder investigation, you think a year is a long time. By the time they gather everything they need, a year is done gone."

Ballard is asking Kentuckians to contact their state representatives and let them know they support the bill. Citizens can call the Legislative Message Line at 1-800-372-7181 and ask to be connected to their representative.

Up to $10,000 reward offered for information in Louisville gun store burglary

CRAWFORD | Blood, sweat and champions: Mendoza leads Indiana past Miami 27-21 for national title

JCPS board to discuss $142 million in proposed cuts for the first time at Tuesday meeting