The judge in Kentucky presiding over the first of three trials concerning the disappearance and suspected murder of Crystal Rogers, a mother of five who went missing after being with her boyfriend and his family during the 2015 Fourth of July weekend, has imposed strict restrictions on public and media access during the trial.
According to WDRB, Nelson Circuit Court Judge Charles Simms III’s order on Tuesday “is unusually restrictive for trials in Kentucky.”
“Unfortunately,” Simms stated in his order, “this case has sparked a vast amount of attention from both the media and the public, leading to a ‘circuslike atmosphere.'”
Rogers was last known to be with Brooks Houck, a well-known and affluent local businessman, during the holiday weekend. Her car was discovered still running on the side of Bluegrass Parkway, with her purse left inside. Her body has never been located.
Houck and friends Steve Lawson and his son Joseph Lawson were later arrested in connection with the case after a lengthy investigation. The Lawsons were charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with evidence. Houck was charged with murder and tampering with evidence and has been held on a $10 million bond since his arrest.
Steve Lawson’s trial is set to begin on May 27 while his son and Houck go on trial later in June.
Simms noted in his order that it was the first time in his more than 20 years as a judge that he’s barred cameras in his courtroom. The media and public will be allowed in the courtroom, he said, but no electronic devices will be allowed, and observers are barred from disseminating “to the public any information it ascertains” as the trial is in session.
Recordings will be made available through the court.
Simms noted that he has allowed reporters to bring phones into the courtroom for hearings leading up to the trial but noted that some of them violated his rules and actually livestreamed the proceedings.
“This Court finds that the trial proceeding must be conducted in a dignified manner without the distraction of anyone recording this proceeding,”, Simms said in his order.
“Unfortunately, this Court believes that it must impose limitations herein to assure a fair trial,” the judge said.
The judge said a media room will be set up where reporters can go during breaks to file reports.
All of the trials have been moved to Bowling Green from Nelson County because of the publicity surrounding the case.
Steve Lawson’s indictment accuses him of agreeing to “aid one or more persons in the planning or commission” of a murder and that he “destroyed, mutilated, concealed, or removed” physical evidence on July 3 or 4, 2015. Joseph Lawson is charged similarly.
Houck is accused of “acting alone or in complicity with another” to kill Rogers as well as destroying or otherwise concealing evidence.
