The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal on Friday denied a writ requesting a bond reduction for Woodrow Karey, who is accused of shooting a pastor during a revival service in September.

Attorneys asked the court to lower the $1 million bond to $150,000, calling it “unconstitutionally excessive.” The request was submitted Friday, and the court ruled on it the same day.

Karey has been in the Calcasieu Correctional Center since his arrest after the shooting death of Ronald C. Harris, pastor of Tabernacle of Praise Worship Center, on Sept. 27.

When state district court Judge Clayton Davis denied the original bond reduction request on Oct. 24, Karey had been charged with second-degree murder. But on Nov. 14 a grand jury declined to indict Karey on that charge and indicted him on the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Defense attorneys Todd Clemons and Adam Johnson plan to request a bond reduction under the manslaughter charge at a hearing on Dec. 18.

Authorities said Karey shot Harris twice with a shotgun and then turned himself in to authorities, repeatedly saying that Harris had raped his wife.

Karey’s wife filed a rape complaint against Harris in the days before the shooting. Authorities said text messages between Harris and Karey’s wife “corroborated to some degree” a relationship, but officials did not say whether it was consensual.

Woodrow Karey and Ronald Harris

(MGNonline)