The second of two trials related to the disappearance and presumed murder of Bardstown mother of five, Crystal Rogers, got underway Tuesday in Warren County.
Rogers hasn’t been seen since the Fourth of July weekend in 2015. Her boyfriend at the time, Brooks Houck, is charged with murder. He and Rogers also have a child together. He’s being tried in Bowling Green alongside co-defendant Joseph Lawson, a friend and employee of Houck.
Lawson is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence. Lawson’s father, Steve, was convicted three weeks ago in Warren County on the same charges as his son, with the jury recommending a sentence of 17 years.
Jury selection for Houck and Joseph Lawson began Tuesday morning and concluded in the late afternoon. The day was spent narrowing the jury pool from 132 to 15 members, including three alternates.
Nelson Circuit Judge Charles Simms asked potential jurors if they had knowledge of the case, their source of news information, and whether they had formed any opinions about the case.
The questioning was lengthier and more detailed than it was for Steve Lawson's trial. That jury was seated in about three hours.
The trial was moved from Nelson County due to publicity surrounding the decade-old case. It’s expected to last ten days.
Opening statements are scheduled for Wednesday at 8:30am.
Hardin County Commonwealth's Attorney Shane Young is serving as special prosecutor in the case. Houck's defense team is led by attorney Brian Butler, while Lawson is being represented by attorneys Kevin Coleman and Robert Boyd.
The trials are based largely on circumstantial evidence since Rogers’ body has never been found.
