Elder Lawson enters not guilty plea, requests bond reduction in Rogers case

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 — Stephen Eugene Lawson, 53, of Chaplin, the third man indicted in the disappearance and murder of Crystal Rogers, entered a not-guilty plea Thursday morning in Nelson Circuit Court.

Lawson appeared before Circuit Judge Charles “Chuck” Simms III. In addition to entering a not-guilty plea, Lawson, through his attorney Theodor Lavit, asked to have his bond reduced from $500,000 cash.

Shane Young, the special prosecutor in the case, argued that the existing bond was appropriate.

Simms said he will hold a bond request hearing in circuit court on Jan. 4th. A status hearing in the case was scheduled for February.

During a police interview in July, primary suspect Brooks Houck had a phone conversation with Stephen Lawson, who Houck said was someone who worked for him from time to time.

Stephen Lawson was indicted Dec. 6, 2023. He is the father of the first man arrested in the case, Joseph Lawson. Stephen Lawson was moved to the Nelson County Jail Tuesday prior to Thursday’s hearing.

Lavit, the elder Lawson’s attorney, has previously told the media that Joseph Lawson was the person who drove Crystal Rogers’ car out to the Bluegrass Parkway. He also said that there is evidence there was solicitation to find someone to kill Rogers.

Joseph Lawson was charged in September with criminal conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in the Rogers case.

Brooks Houck, the primary suspect in the disappearance of Rogers, was arrested Sept. 27 on charges of complicity to murder and tampering with physical evidence. He remains in jail on a $10 million cash bond.

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