The Gilroy man charged with shooting and killing 27-year-old Philip Lacy next to Palo Alto City Hall last July will be in court for a preliminary hearing on May 27.

Santa Clara County Judge Douglas Southard set the preliminary-hearing date during Otto Emil Koloto's brief court appearance Friday afternoon. Koloto, 22, is charged with robbing Lacy of his necklace shortly after Lacy left a downtown bar. Lacy allegedly lunged at Koloto to try to get his necklace back, at which time Koloto shot him.

The preliminary hearing is expected to go on for three to five days and will give witnesses their first chance to testify.

Koloto did not enter a plea at Friday's court hearing at the Palo Alto Courthouse. The case is going through the discovery phase, in which prosecution and defense disclose documents pertaining to the case to one another. Southard scheduled a court date for 10 a.m. on May 6 for a formal discovery motion.

Koloto was arrested Oct. 2, 2008, after a massive police manhunt. He was located in San Jose, where he was staying at a friend's house.