‘Incessant’ media coverage of Crystal Rogers, Brooks Houck leads to change of venue request
A Nelson County man accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend, Crystal Rogers, has filed a request to change the venue of his trial out of Nelson County and Central Kentucky.
Brooks Houck was indicted in September 2023 on charges of murder and tampering with physical evidence in the death of Rogers, his former girlfriend, who was last seen in July 2015. He has pleaded not guilty.
Houck’s attorneys filed a request on his behalf Thursday afternoon for a change of venue. They argue the vast media coverage has a prejudicial affect on Houck and potential jury members.
“While it is unfortunate that so many residents of Nelson County have prejudged the facts of this case and disregarded the presumption of innocence, it is unsurprising given the incessant and pervasive local media coverage of the disappearance of Crystal Rogers over the course of the past eight years,” court documents read.
Houck is requesting his trial be moved to Boyd or Daviess counties because residents there are less likely to have been affected by the media coverage and have the facilities to accommodate the trial.
‘Incessant media coverage’ necessary for change of venue
Intense media coverage, Facebook posts from Nelson County residents and other granted change of venue requests for another case involving Houck are all reasons to change the venue for the murder case, according to the motion from Houck’s attorneys Brian Butler, Michael Denbow and Jennifer Henry Jackson.
The Nelson County Sheriff’s Office’s decision to release initial interviews with Houck — which appeared on podcasts, social media and national television — amplified attention around the case, according to court documents.
Rogers’ disappearance has been featured on Investigation Discovery and a six-part series on the network, Oxygen. Rogers’ mother, Sherry Ballard, has also appeared on the Dr. Phil Show.
The Kentucky Standard, according to court documents, has published 237 articles about Houck and the case.
“Since 2019, media coverage of this case has only intensified, leading to the inevitable conclusion that such pretrial publicity is presumptively prejudicial, and has tainted potential jury pool not only in Nelson County, but also any Kentucky county within reach of the Louisville or Lexington media markets,” the motion said.
The motion also references large billboard signs located throughout Nelson County which depict Rogers’ face, and claim Houck as the main suspect. They are located next to the judicial center where all his court dates are scheduled.
The defense argues these billboards, as well as bumper stickers on cars advocating for Rogers, have tainted the ability to select a jury in Nelson County.
Defense considers facilities, juror safety in request
The motion went on to say anyone who has defended Houck “is publicly shamed by members of the community on social media,” which could cause fear among potential jurors.
Included in the motion are several Facebook posts showing users targeted a woman who gave a “brief and relatively benign statement to the media” after one of Houck’s court proceedings.
The post was shared nearly 90 times and there were 150 comments of “vitriol” claiming the woman should be investigated by police for associating with the Houck family.
Other Facebook posts in the motion included comments from the public threatening Houck and his family, as well as his attorneys.
Some court jurisdictions that would have been deemed appropriate for the trial were ruled out because their facilities and security are not equipped to handle the magnitude of the case and media, according to the motion.
The motion is scheduled for a hearing on March 21.
