As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis entered a "not guilty" plea to one count of solicitation of murder at his arraignment Thursday (May 9) in San Diego. The singer is on trial for an alleged murder-for-hire plot to kill his estranged wife Meggan. Bail at the arraignment was set for $3 million.

UTSanDiego.com reports that the prosecutor in the case argued for a $20 million bail figure, but the defense rebutted that the amount was unreasonable. Eventually a $3 million bail was set. According to the the article, should Lambesis be able to make bail, he is to have no contact with his wife or the couple's three adopted children.

Lambesis was arrested earlier this week after allegedly soliciting an undercover police officer to commit murder. Authorities reportedly learned of the singer's intent last Thursday (May 2) and began to investigate.

The singer's wife, Meggan Lambesis, filed for divorce last September citing "irreconcilable differences." The divorce documents showed that Meggan was concerned by her husband's change in behavior and his ability to care for the couple's children, whom they adopted from Ethiopia. They were married 8 years.

If convicted, Lambesis could face up to a nine-year prison sentence, which is the maximum exposure for solicitation of murder in the state of California.

Update: Video of Tim Lambesis' arraignment has surfaced via NBC 7 San Diego. In it, the District Attorney lays out details of the metal frontman's alleged plan to have his wife killed. Watch below:

View more videos at: http://nbcsandiego.com.

 

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