DOWNEY : Father, Son Plead Not Guilty in Attempt to Hire Hit Man

A cable talk show host and his father pleaded not guilty Monday to charges that they tried to hire a hit man to kill a 13-year-old girl who accused the son of rape.

Tito David Valdez and Tito David Valdez Jr. have been held without bail since their arrest Thursday. The father and son were arrested after Valdez Jr., 23, offered to pay an undercover Downey police officer to stage a carjacking and shoot the girl who had accused him of rape, according to Detective Stephen Garza. Valdez Sr., 56, is accused of buying a gun and giving it to the undercover officer to use in the killing.

The younger Valdez, host of the Downey-produced cable talk show “Hollywood Haze,” was scheduled to face trial Dec. 15 on three counts of rape. Each man faces one count of conspiracy and solicitation to commit murder. A hearing to determine if the two should be given bail has been scheduled for Thursday.