Judge denies Steve Lawson’s motion to dismiss charges in Crystal Rogers case

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Monday, July 8, 2024 — Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms III last week denied a request from Steve Lawson to dismiss the charges against him in the Crystal Rogers murder case.

Lawson’s attorney, Ted Lavitt, argued before the court last month that his client had given investigators truthful testimony in exchange for immunity from prosecutiion. Lavitt charged that despite his client’s truthful statements, that prosecutors renedged on the deal.

Judge Simms denied the request, citing numerous instances when Steve Lawson made contradictory statements to investigators on the record.

The judge did find that Lawson’s statements to investigators on June 8, 2023, are not admissible in court because the statements included discussions about the possible immunity deal. The judge ruled that Lawson’s statements to investigators on June 14, Aug. 22, Sept. 12 and Nov. 21, 2023, are also not admissible in court, though Lawson has the right to waive that privilege if he wishes to introduce any of it as evidence in a trial.

Simms did not find that Lawson’s statements to the grand jury on June 14, 2023, and Sept. 20, 2023, were part of any immunity deal. Therefore, that testimony cannot be excluded as evidence at trial.

NEXT UP. Steve Lawson’s next court date is 1:30 Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, at which time Lawson will inform Nelson Circuit Court if he wishes to waive his privilege and allow the inadmissible statements listed above to be used at his trial.

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