LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The first suspect charged in connection to the disappearance of Crystal Rogers appeared in court on Friday afternoon.
Joseph Lawson, 32, is one of three men facing charges for their alleged roles.
He is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection to the Bardstown mother’s 2015 disappearance. Rogers has been presumed dead for the last eight years.
Joseph appeared for his status hearing over Zoom, sitting in a wheelchair at the Kentucky State Reformatory -- an Oldham County prison where he's serving time for a separate 2022 case.
His attorneys were expected to make the case for his bond to be reduced to $50,000, arguing his partial paralysis negates any danger he could pose if released.
But that discussion got pushed back to Feb. 8, notably the same day co-defendant Brooks Houck is also due back in court.
Joseph's attorneys say they expect their client to attend that hearing in person, and court documents show Houck will be transported from Oldham County jail to Nelson County to attend his next hearing in person, too.
Crystal's mom Sherry Ballard and grandparents Till and Betty Ballard were all in the courtroom.
In what was a quick hearing, special prosecutor Shane Young told the judge the rest of the evidence in Joseph Lawson's case should be sent over to defense attorneys by later this month.
"It's going to consist of the FBI reports, and the state police reports -- supplements -- from over the last year and a half or so," Young said. "That'll be the lion's share of discovery."
The attorney for Joseph's father, Steve Lawson, has told WHAS11 that Joseph was the one driving Crystal's car, when he got a flat tire. That car was found abandoned on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway in 2015, with Crystal's purse, keys and phone inside.
A big question that remains, if Joseph was indeed driving it, why?
WHAS11 Senior Reporter Isaiah Kim-Martinez was in the courtroom for the hearing which began at 1:30 p.m. and lasted roughly 5-10 minutes.
Scroll below for the minute-by-minute court updates.
Live Updates
1:38 p.m.
Attorneys for both sides agreed to push bond reduction talks to Joseph's next court date on Feb. 8. This is the same day Brooks Houck is due back in court. The expectation is for Joseph to appear in person next time.
Court has ended for the day.
Joseph Lawson's dad, Steve Lawson, was in court on Thursday. A Nelson County judge said they will determine within five days if Steve should have his $500,000 bond reduced. Steve's attorney, Ted Lavit, wants his bond to be reduced to $20,000 or a $40,000 real estate bond.
1:35 p.m.
Special prosecutor Shane Young says his team has sent the defense some discovery and will send over the “lion’s share” of it this month – evidence from FBI, KSP reports over the last year/year and a half.
While this discovery is still outstanding, Joseph Lawson's attorneys say they can't proceed with setting a trial date just yet until they get all of the evidence.
1:30 p.m.
Joseph Lawson joins the court hearing on Zoom. The judge asks if Joseph can hear him to which he replies, "Yes sir."
He is currently being held on a $500,000 bond at the Kentucky State Reformatory, which is a state-run prison in Oldham County.
Prosecutors and Joseph's defense attorneys tell the judge they'd like to discuss the bond reduction at the next court appearance on Feb. 8 at 1 p.m.
Joseph's primary attorney, Kevin Coleman, isn't here yet. One of Joseph's attorneys told the judge they weren't aware he had been moved to the Kentucky State Reformatory.
1:25 p.m.
Sherry Ballard, Crystal Rogers' mother, has arrived in the courtroom. The hearing is about to start.
1:20 p.m.
Till and Betty Ballard sit inside the courtroom, 10 minutes ahead of the probable cause hearing for Joseph Lawson. His attorneys are expected to ask for a bond reduction.
1:15 p.m.
Doors open to the courtroom. Crystal's grandparents Till and Betty Ballard wait to go inside.
Joseph Lawson's hearing begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Nelson County Justice Center in Bardstown. He is one of three men charged in connection to Crystal Rogers’ 2015 disappearance.
What to expect?
Friday's court appearance is for a bond reduction hearing. Joseph is currently being held on a $500,000 bond at the Kentucky State Reformatory, which is a state-run prison in Oldham County.
During his arraignment in December, Joseph's attorney's requested the "excessive and oppressive" bond be reduced to $50,000. They argued that he is unable to afford his bail due to his socio-economic status.
Josephs attorneys said that if his bond were reduced and posted, he would comply with any additional conditions set forth by the court, including GPS monitoring via home incarceration.
They also argued that he is not a danger to the community or himself because he is paraplegic and unable to voluntarily move the lower portion of his body. His movements are limited to a wheelchair.
During Friday's hearing, Joseph's attorney, Kevin Coleman, and Special Prosecutor Shane Young are expected to discuss logistics of the case moving forward to trial. That could include a trial date, the extent of discovery that will be filed, and how much time the defense team will need to review the discovery.
Attorneys could discuss the possibility of consolidation, which would mean Brooks Houck, the main suspect in Rogers' disappearance, and Joseph could be tried together.
Case Background
A Kentucky State Police detective executed a warrant on Joseph in August 2023, two months after a grand jury indicted him on the two charges.
According to the indictment, both charges stem from an incident on Fourth of July weekend in 2015. That is the same weekend Rogers was reported missing and just days before her keys, phone, and purse were found inside her car on the side of the Bluegrass Parkway.
His father, and co-defendant, Steve Lawson is facing similar charges.
Joseph is accused of destroying, mutilating, concealing, or removing physical evidence and aiding in the commission or planning of a crime that intentionally caused the death of another person.
In September, Joseph appeared over video for his arraignment. He pleaded not guilty to both charges and his bond was set at $500,000.
Steve's attorney, Ted Lavit, said Steve received a call from Joseph about having a flat tire and needed to be picked up, adding that it was Joseph who drove Rogers' car to the Bluegrass Parkway. He said he doesn't know why Joseph had her car or where he was going.
Joseph was transferred from the Grayson Detention Center to the Kentucky State Reformatory. According to court documents, his probation was revoked on a separate criminal mischief charge from another case in 2022. Documents show it was revoked because he didn't show for a court date and didn't pay restitution.
If he failed to show up for court dates in the past, this begs the question of on what grounds can Joseph's attorneys make the argument to lower his bond in Rogers' case.
This also isn't the first time Joseph's name has come up in this investigation. WHAS11 discovered a possible link between him and Houck dating back to 2015.
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