BARDSTOWN, Ky. — A Nelson County judge has made a ruling in favor of one of the three men charged in connection to the death of Crystal Rogers.
Joseph Lawson was the first man arrested in Rogers' case, and the only one who had not requested a bond reduction until just recently. Lawson is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence.
On Monday, Judge Charles Simms ruled Lawson's bond will be lowered from $500,000 to $250,000 full cash.
In court last week, Lawson's attorney, Kevin Coleman, fought for his client’s bond to be reduced to $50,000. Coleman also asked for Lawson to be put on home incarceration.
"[Lawson's] paraplegic, that is just a fact that exists for him," he said. "That obviously lessons his ability to have any free movement, independent movement. That goes toward his lack of being a flight risk and his lack of being a danger."
But the prosecution objected to reducing the bond due to the nature of Joseph's alleged crimes. An attorney pointed out his numerous prior felony convictions and the alleged actions he took after learning detectives were eyeing him in the Rogers investigation.
“Once he found out he was a subject of an investigation of what happened to this young woman, he called his associates, to give him a cover story, give him an alibi on July the 3rd, the night she went missing,” one prosecutor argued.
The judge took the weekend to consider the facts and released his ruling Monday morning.
“Although this Court is sympathetic to Lawson’s paraplegic status, it believes a bond of $250,000 is reasonable to assure his appearance," Simms wrote in his ruling.
The judge explained that he made the determination considering the gravity of Lawson’s charges, his criminal history and the potential punishment if he is convicted, which could make him a flight risk.
Joseph Lawson, his father Steve Lawson, and Brooks Houck are all expected back in court March 21.
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