Brooks Houck sentencing: here's how I'm covering it (and what you'll get)
– 3 min read
Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson are set to be sentenced to prison time for their role in the death of Crystal Rogers on Wednesday afternoon. I'll be in the courtroom and providing exclusive coverage afterwards.
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After years of following this case together, we're heading into the final chapter in the Crystal Rogers investigation- sentencing day. Many of you have been asking what my coverage will look like, so I wanted to break it down for you.
What's happening on Wednesday
The sentencing hearing starts at 2:30 pm in Nelson County. This isn't just a quick "here's your sentence" moment- we're expecting emotional victim impact statements, potentially final words from the defendants, and then the judge's decision on what comes next. I'll be in the courtroom, taking notes, capturing the moments that matter.
Here's what I'm planning
I'm putting together several different pieces of coverage because this case deserves it. And you deserve options for how you want to follow along.
The Basic Facts: What happened, what was said, and details on the final sentences. The essential information you need to know. This piece will be free and completely available to everyone.
Behind-the-scenes photo gallery: I'll be taking photos all day long- from outside the courthouse, the media setup, the atmosphere, and inside the courtroom. Some pictures will be available to free members, and the full gallery will be available to paid subscribers.
The deep dive analysis: This is the piece I'm most excited about: "What Comes Next." This isn't just a recap; it's an analysis of what this sentence means, what appeals might look like, what the families said, and what the investigators involved behind the scenes believe could be coming down the pipeline. This story will be available to paid subscribers.
Live Q&A: Here's where it gets interesting. The nightly live streams during the trial were a great way to tell you about what happened that day and where we go from here. I'm bringing that back for sentencing, but it's going to look a little different.
About that live Q&A
The live Q&A will be Wednesday at 8 pm EST, and exclusively for paid subscribers. If you're a paid subscriber, you'll get the link Wednesday morning to join.
Here's my thinking: with 170,000 of you following along on social media, a public live stream is chaos. There's no way for me to follow the comments/questions. This time, I want to actually be able to have real conversations, answer your specific questions, and dive into the details that matter to you.
I genuinely love these live sessions. They're when I learn what you're really thinking, what details matter to you that I might have missed, and where we can process these big moments together. It's the closest thing to being in the room together, figuring out what it all means.
If you're a free subscriber, you'll get the full recording the next day. Every question, every answer, nothing cut out. But if you want to be in the room (so to speak), asking questions as we process this together in real time, that's what paid subscriptions are for.
Why I'm doing it this way
I'll be straight with you- this is my job. But more than that, this case has consumed years of my life, and I know it's consumed yours, too. The people who've chosen to financially support this work deserve something special. They deserve to be first in line for the conversation we're all going to want to have Wednesday night.
Free subscribers still get:
- The essential facts and developments
- A partial photo gallery showing what the day was like
- The Q&A recording (a day later)
Paid subscribers get all of that, plus:
- The comprehensive "What Comes Next" analysis
- Live access to ask questions and immediate answers
- The best photos and behind-the-scenes moments I captured, with full access to my behind-the-scenes gallery
Either way, I'm glad you're here for this final chapter. Wednesday's going to be intense, emotional, and probably pretty draining for the family that has waited more than a decade to see justice served in Crystal's case. I will be covering the day like I have every other step of this case... with compassion, integrity and honesty. They deserve that, and so do you!
P.S.- If you're a paid subscriber and have specific questions you want me to address during the live session, feel free to email them to me in advance. I'll make sure to cover them! My email is shaymcalisternews@gmail.com
