-- From Times staff reporter Jennifer Sullivan:

A judge this morning agreed to lower the bail for Dr. Michael Mockovak from $3 million to $2 million despite protests from the man he is accused of plotting to have killed.

Mockovak, co-founder of Clearly Lasik laser eye-surgery centers, is accused of trying to hire a Russian mafia hit man to have two men killed, including his partner and Clearly Lasik co-founder Dr. Joseph King.

In court this morning Mockovak pleaded not guilty.

King was seeking to have his former business partner, and former brother-in-law's, bail raised to $15 million said King's lawyer Anne Bremner.

After the hearing, Bremner said her client is frightened by the accusations and will have to hire private security if Mockovak is freed. King lives only a few doors from Mockovak in Newcastle.

"It's been a terrifying three days for us. Our family is very afraid," King said after the hearing.

But Mockovak's attorney, Colette Tvedt, argued that the bail was too high. Standing next to her client, who was shackled and dressed in red King County Jail scrubs, Tvedt said bail should be lowered because Mockovak has "very limited personal assets" and no criminal history. She told Superior Court Judge Palmer Robinson that Mockovak doesn't pose a flight risk, even though Clearly Lasik has offices across Canada.

Mockovak's father, mother, sister and other supporters were in court today. They all declined to talk after the hearing.

On Monday, the 51-year-old co-founder of the laser eye-surgery centers was charged with two counts of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. In charging papers, Mockovak is portrayed as angry, desperate and willing to pay more than $100,000 to have King and former company President Brad Klock killed.

Mockovak noted that King's $5 million life-insurance policy listed either Mockovak or Clearly Lasik as beneficiaries, charging papers allege.

Mockovak solicited an employee who had immigrated from Russia to arrange the slayings, according to the charges. That man reported Mockovak's scheme to the FBI, which began watching Mockovak and recording his conversations, charging papers allege.

Initially, Mockovak's bail was $1 million, and he posted bond on Saturday and was released. But after charges were filed Monday the bail was increased to $3 million.

To view the charging documents, click here.