SEATTLE — A laser eye surgeon in the United States has pleaded not guilty to an alleged murder-for-hire targeting two colleagues with Canadian roots.
Dr. Michael Mockovak also had his bail lowered from $3 million to $2 million, a court spokesman said Wednesday.
Mockovak, 51, is accused of paying $10,000 to an informant for the murder of his business partner, Dr. Joseph King. The pair founded Clearly Lasik laser surgery clinics in Washington, Oregon, Alberta and British Columbia.
Prosecutors allege Mockovak also targeted Brad Klock, a former hockey player from Port Alberni, B.C., who had sued the company after being dismissed from his job as president.
King, who was trained in British Columbia and practises at the Canadian clinics, is frightened for his life and worried about his family’s safety, his lawyer said by email after Wednesday’s bail hearing.
“We had requested substantially higher bail, given the nature of the case,” said Anne Bremner, who added her client believes Mockovak can afford the $2 million he needs to get out of jail.
“(King) wanted no release ... He may get private security. He is concerned for the safety of his family.”
Dan Donohoe of the King County prosecutor’s office said attorneys asked for $5 million bail because Mockovak is considered a flight risk. Conditions of his release include that he surrender his passport and have no contact with King or Klock.
Court documents indicate an investigation began in April after an employee of Clearly Lasik contacted a family friend working for the FBI’s Portland office. The documents allege the man told investigators that Mockovak had asked him in early 2008 if he had any contacts in the “Russian Mafia” who could arrange to have Klock killed.
The man began acting as an informant for the FBI. He recorded video and audiotapes of conversations he had with Mockovak, according to the documents. They also allege that Mockovak later shifted his focus to King. The two had married sisters and lived within blocks of each other in Newcastle, Wa., but allegedly had a falling out after Mockovak divorced his wife.
The doctors were in the process of splitting the business and Mockovak believed King was taking advantage of him, say the court papers. The documents also suggest Mockovak believed he would be a beneficiary of a multimillion-dollar life insurance policy King had.
The informant was given $10,000 in cash and a large colour photograph of King and his family, according to the documents.
Police arrested Mockovak at his home last Thursday. He was released Saturday after posting $1 million bail. But he was rearrested Monday and was being held on $3 million bail before the judge’s decision to lower the amount.
King finished medical school at the University of British Columbia in 1992 and completed internships in Victoria before moving to Cleveland, Ohio, for further training, according to his biography on the Clearly Lasik website. He is based in Seattle, but has dual Canadian and American citizenship and routinely flies to Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria to perform eye procedures.
Mockovak does not practise at the Canadian clinics.
King, who has three young children, spoke at Wednesday’s hearing, according to media reports. He told court that he is “absolutely terrified” Mockovak could be released on bail and that, if released, he may try to “finish the job.”
He released a statement earlier this week saying he and his family “were shocked and horrified to learn that a business associate was allegedly planning and ordering my murder.”
Christian Monea, CEO of Clearly Lasik, also released a statement.
“King has performed 50,000 procedures in his career and intends to perform another 50,000,” Monea said.
Mockovak is scheduled to appear in court in Seattle Dec. 16.