Steve Lawson also has given about 20 hours of contradictory testimony and information about the case, Brooks Houck's attorney Brian Butler told a Nelson County judge at a hearing Monday
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Steve Lawson told confidential informant Brooks Houck had nothing to do with Crystal Rogers' murder
Attorneys for Brooks Houck told a judge Monday it would be “unfair” and close to impossible to put Houck and his two co-defendants on trial together for the murder of Crystal Rogers because of how much false information was provided.
Steve Lawson has given about 20 hours of contradictory testimony and information about the case and, unless he testified at a joint trial, Houck would be unable to confront Lawson about the lies, attorney Brian Butler told Nelson County Judge Charles Simms III.
Butler said Lawson twice told confidential informants in 2020 that, "I don't think Brooks had anything to do with" Rogers' disappearance. But during hours of interviews with investigators and in front of a grand jury, Lawson changed his story repeatedly.
For example, he also said he was paid $50,000 by Houck to move Rogers' vehicle.
"Steve Lawson was the connection (to Houck) for the government’s case," Butler said.
And, without being able to question him, Butler said the defense would have to show hours of testimony and interviews that prove Lawson lied repeatedly and told investigators what they wanted to hear in hopes of getting immunity.
"When the trial comes, if we do them together, it becomes about hours and hours and hours of Steve Lawson and his inconsistent statements” and promises made to him by investigators, Butler said. If the three men are tried together, "everyone will be back here in two years doing it again."
Butler played some of the interviews Lawson had with investigators over the last few years, showing that at times, Lawson said Houck seemed not to know what to tell investigators.
"What the Hell do you want me to say," he told them at one point.
But Lawson told investigators he "wanted to be on their team and help them out," Butler said.
In one instance, Butler said that Lawson told investigators that he called Houck shortly after Rogers' disappeared and told him, "The job is done," referring to moving her car.
In addition, the other co-defendant, Joseph Lawson -- Steve's son -- is shown in a video interview being told by investigators what they believe happened. He didn’t say anything audible during the interview but Butler told the judge Joseph Lawson later said "he wanted to tell investigators what they wanted to hear."
"You can’t coach someone more than that. He starts with the government's theory and ends with the government's theory," Butler said. "It's incredible. I wouldn’t believe it if it weren’t on the tape. But that happened. If there was ever a case that shouldn’t be joined, it’s this one."
Monday's hearing follows a request by the prosecution to try all three men together on Feb. 10, 2025, given they are facing the same charges and allegedly worked with each other. One trial would also be less traumatizing for the family and friends of Rogers, according to the prosecution.
Prosecutor Shane Young asked a judge to join the cases into one trial since they are alleged to have "acted in concert to accomplish the murder of Crystal Rodgers and to dispose of evidence which would conceal the murder."
On Monday, prosecutors argued they would take out references to Houck from Lawson's statements.
Prosecutor Teresa Young said the prosecution would not use grand jury testimony provided by Lawson against Houck and said Butler's argument was "clear as mud."
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