Are father and son charged in Crystal Rogers case flight risks? Both want bonds reduced

Steven and Joseph Lawson - a father and son charged in Bardstown mom Crystal Rogers' 2015 disappearance - appeared separately in court last week while also filing motions to have their bonds significantly lowered.

Rogers was a mother of five. Her former boyfriend, Brooks Houck, was charged with her murder and tampering with physical evidence in September. They shared one child.

Rogers' body has never been found, but she is presumed dead.

Joseph and Steven Lawson have both been charged with tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy to commit murder.

The defense teams have each argued their defendant's respective bond amounts are oppressive based on each Lawson's financial access as well as their risk of fleeing if granted provisional release.

Here's what happened in the Lawsons' court appearances:

Joseph Lawson wants bond reduced to $50,000 with GPS monitoring

Joseph Lawson, 32, appeared in Nelson Circuit Court on Jan. 5 for a status update, where the defense team and prosecutors gave an update on filed discovery items.

Lawson's defense has filed a motion for his bond to be significantly lowered with additional provisions of being placed on home incarceration with GPS monitoring, medical releases and attorney-office visit releases.

Lawson is charged with tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy to commit murder, with each charge carrying a bond of $50,000 and $500,000, respectively.

In a motion to reduce Lawson's bond to $50,000, defense attorney Kevin Coleman argued Lawson is not a flight risk. Lawson is paraplegic and unable to voluntarily move the lower parts of his body. If released on home incarceration, Lawson's activity would be monitored at all times, Coleman wrote in the motion.

If granted release, Lawson would re-establish his health insurance and Social Security disability as well as seek out ongoing medical treatment.

A hearing on potentially modifying Lawson's bond has been set for Feb. 8, which could also include the judge setting a trial date.

Joseph Lawson's father, Steven Lawson, was arrested in connection to the investigation last month.

Steven Lawson's defense cites past cooperation

Steven Lawson’s defense attorney argued in Nelson Circuit Court on Thursday that his $500,000 bond should be lowered based on his past cooperation with state authorities.

Steven Lawson, 53, is charged with tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy to commit murder.

"Let me point out that my client throughout all these months - more than a year anyway, going back at least to 2015 - has been a person of interest to the Commonwealth and a target. No question about that," attorney Theodore Lavit said. "And he has something to say and has said it to the Commonwealth concerning the absence of Crystal."

Lavit said Lawson is not a flight risk since he has known and cooperated with authorities willingly and without fleeing.

Prosecutor Shane Young agreed Lawson has not previously been a flight risk - when he was originally just charged with tampering with physical evidence. But when Lawson was informed of his impending indictment on the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, Young said Lawson did not appear at work the next day, with his cellphone records placing him in Indiana.

Lavit argued Lawson was visiting his mother, who lives in the Hoosier state, and he had gone to work at a work site in Indiana that day.

"I do agree his mother lives in Indiana. I do find it suspect that he left here and went to Indiana knowing that he was going to be indicted," Young said.

At the hearing, Lavit proposed a $20,000 cash or $40,000 real estate bond.

"He's not able to make that, but it would give us the incentive to try to make that," Lavit said.

A few days after the hearing, Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms granted a reduction to Lawson's bail — though not nearly to the extent of his defense's request.

Lawson's bond is now set at $250,000 cash only. If released, Lawson has to follow a series of conditions, including: a dusk to dawn curfew (with limited exceptions), no violations of the law, remain drug and alcohol free, no travel outside of Kentucky, and be monitored by the court's pretrial services. Lawson would also not be allowed to have any contact with Rogers' family or any of his co-defendants in the case.

In his ruling, Simms said he was provided no evidence or testimony on whether Lawson had been dispatched by his employer to work in Indiana that day.

"It is highly suspicious that Lawson was discovered in another state after being informed of the potential indictment," Simms wrote.

In his decision, Simms considered the pretrial services assessment that placed Lawson as a moderate flight risk as well as the gravity of his charges. Simms also weighed Lawson's criminal history, which consisted of misdemeanors or violations with no convictions involving violence.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Joseph and Steven Lawson want bonds lowered in Crystal Rogers cases