A judge halved bail Monday for a La Jolla attorney accused of hatching a plot to kill one of his former clients.

Municipal Judge Robert P. McDonald set bail for Stuart Jeffrey Sandrock, 38, at $250,000 after hearing testimony from family and friends.

Defense attorney Steven Feldman also made an impassioned plea to the judge, arguing that the original bail of $500,000 was 10 times the amount shown on a bail schedule for the crime of solicitation for murder.

"He's a member of the bar, and this seems to work to his disadvantage," Feldman said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Stephen Anear asked that bail be set at $1 million.

Sandrock was taken into custody last week after he allegedly accepted a machine gun from undercover officers. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 2.