Missing mom's convicted killer claims boyfriend tainted his trial
Joseph Lawson was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence in the death of 35-year-old Crystal Rogers in Bardstown, according to Fox 56.
Lawson was tried alongside Rogers' boyfriend, Brooks Houck.
Lawson's lawyers argued in a new motion made public Wednesday that their client should not have been tried alongside Houck, citing recorded statements made by Houck to investigators that were presented during the trial, WDRB reported.
"The overwhelming amount of evidence presented at trial was not otherwise admissible in [Lawson's] trial and clearly had a spillover effect," the appeal reportedly said, adding that Lawson was denied "his right to have a fair determination of his culpability free from the taint of having been tried jointly with Brooks Houck."
The attorneys reportedly claimed that, given the fact Houck did not testify during the trial, Lawson had no way to defend himself against the statements presented to the jury.
Earlier this month, a jury found the two men guilty of murdering Rogers, who was last seen during Fourth of July weekend in 2015 with Houck. Police later found Rogers' maroon Chevy Impala abandoned with a flat tire along Bluegrass Parkway, with her purse, wallet and keys inside.
Her body was never found.
The jury in Houck and Lawson's trial recommended maximum sentences for both men, consisting of life in prison plus five years for Houck and 25 years for Lawson, WDRB reported. The two men would reportedly be required to serve 85% of their sentences before being eligible for parole.
Steve Lawson, Joseph Lawson's father, was tried separately and convicted of the same charges as his son, according to the outlet. He was reportedly sentenced to life in prison and is currently appealing his conviction.
A final sentencing hearing for Lawson and Houck is set for Aug. 21.
Attorneys for Lawson and did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Eleventh person charged over woman's death
Another person has been charged after a woman was shot dead at a block of flats in south Wales. Joanne Penney, 40, died on 9 March after being shot in Llys Illtyd, Talbot Green, Rhondda Cynon Taf. Callum Kelleher, 37, from Liverpool has been charged with participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group, perverting the course of justice and assault. South Wales Police said he appeared at Cardiff Magistrates Court on Friday and he was due to stand trial in October. It brings the total number of people charged in relation to the case to 11, with other defendants pleading not guilty to a range of charges including murder, assisting an offender and participating in the activities of an organised crime group. An inquest opening in March heard that Ms Penney died after being shot in the chest, with injuries to her heart and lung. In a tribute, Ms Penney's family said they were devastated by the loss, adding: "Her kindness, strength and love for her family will never be forgotten." Related stories Two more charged after woman's fatal shooting Eighth person in court over woman's fatal shooting Murder charges after mum shot dead at block of flats
New York Times
29 minutes ago
- New York Times
She Exposed Epstein, and Shares MAGA's Anger
Julie K. Brown thinks Jeffrey Epstein didn't act alone. On this episode of 'Interesting Times,' Ross talks to Brown, the investigative reporter whose work ultimately led to Epstein's re-arrest, about what the government could release that it hasn't and how the story is bigger than Epstein. This conversation was taped before President Trump authorized the Justice Department to seek the release of grand jury testimony in Epstein's case. Below is an edited transcript of an episode of 'Interesting Times.' We recommend listening to it in its original form for the full effect. You can do so using the player above or on the NYT audio app, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. Ross Douthat: Julie K. Brown, welcome to 'Interesting Times.' Julie K. Brown: Thank you. Douthat: So for the last couple of weeks, ever since the Trump administration decided it was a good idea to tell the world that there was nothing more to say about the Jeffrey Epstein story, which has not been true, I feel like we've had a lot of these metaconversations about the case, conversations about Trump administration politics, MAGA infighting, theories about conspiracy theories. I just keep coming back to the man himself and all of the weird questions that, to me as a journalist and news consumer, still hang over this whole story. So I'm really hoping that together we can walk through the story — the actual story of how Jeffrey Epstein the man became Jeffrey Epstein the mythic villain of the early 21st century. I want to start in the middle for him or maybe near the end for him but at the beginning for you. How did you first get drawn into this story? What prompted you as a journalist to start looking into Jeffrey Epstein and his crimes? Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Fox News
29 minutes ago
- Fox News
Border Patrol morale goes through the roof, 'dramatically' changed under Trump administration
TUCSON SECTOR, ARIZONA– Under the bright sun, Border Patrol agents Daniel Hernandez and Teresa Fast glisten with sweat as they stride along the rusted fence separating the United States and Mexico. They revealed the reality of what life is like working at the border. "A few months ago, before the election and before the previous administration, we were mostly doing processing of detained individuals," Hernandez told Fox News Digital. "That's an administrative duty that is part of our job, but it used to be a small sliver of it, [and we were] doing a large portion of that. Now it's inverse." "Now we're doing small slivers of the processing, and we're doing the bulk of patrolling duties. Most of our agents are out there patrolling." "We're historically one of the busiest sectors," the homeland security agent said. "We're at [a] 91% reduction [rate] over last year's amounts, but that's because we're out here every single day." "If we were to take our foot off the gas and just assume the border's secure, then we would lose what we had gained. So every single day we have to invest in patrolling," he added. According to the White House, as of April 28 of this year, illegal border crossings "are down by 95%" when compared to numbers under the Biden administration. Previously restrained by budget cuts that impeded the completion of their duties, the border patrol agents communicated a renewed sense of faith for increasing safety for all involved. "People are less inclined to climb a fence of this magnitude," Hernandez relayed while pointing to the southern border wall. "If they do, they have to go up high, then our cameras or our agents can spot them if they go up high. So that's the advantage of having robust infrastructure on the border that buys us time to get here." "Smugglers will try anything. It's shocking that they will risk somebody's life by getting them up on a really small, handmade ladder," he continued. "[It's one] way somebody might try to defeat the border wall… and people will always try." The empathy portrayed by agents when considering the human element of deportations and illegal crossings is an echoed sentiment among Tucson sector Border Patrol chief, Sean McGoffin. "The cartels treat people as a commodity rather than as human beings. It's up to us to reintroduce that element of humanity and make sure we're saving the lives of those individuals the cartels leave behind. One of the great things we do in the Border Patrol — though it's rarely talked about — is the rescues we perform each and every day," the CBP Chief told Fox News HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Fast added, "The men and the women of the patrol are really what makes it run. That's what keeps our country safer, the people who are giving up those games with their kids and their [holidays] and working night shifts – that's what keeps our country safe. That's really what it is, the men and the women of the border patrol."
