LOS ANGELES -- Die Hard" director John McTiernan was granted bail and released on a $50,000 bond Monday, pending an appeal of his guilty plea for allegedly lying to the FBI about his knowledge of celebrity PI Anthony Pellicano's alleged illegal wiretapping operation.

Tiernan, 56, pleaded guilty in April 2006 to making a false statement to federal investigators. He later recanted his guilty plea, claiming he was jet-lagged and under the influence of alcohol and prescription medications when he made the statements to the FBI.

He also said he was given bad advice by his then-attorney.

On Sept. 24, U.S. District Judge Dale Fischer rejected McTiernan's attempts to withdraw his guilty plea and sentenced him to four months in federal prison, a term he was set to begin next month.

Sept. 24, 2007: Film Director Sentenced In Connection With Pellicano Case

On Monday, Fischer allowed McTiernan, who also directed the action films "Predator" and "The Hunt for Red October," to remain out of prison on bail pending his appeal of her decision to the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

McTiernan is the highest-profile Hollywood figure charged in the Anthony Pellicano case.

Pellicano -- a private eye to the stars -- is charged along with several other defendants in a 2006 federal indictment. The indictment alleges he used illegal wiretaps to benefit his clients, including Hollywood players and attorneys.

In other news, Fischer denied the request of Pellicano's co-defendant, Abner Nicherie, to dismiss the indictment against him, claiming the U.S. Attorney's Office waited too long to bring charges against him. Nicherie, 43, is accused of being involved with Pellicano's alleged wiretapping of his former business associate, Afi Shafrir.

Earlier this year, Nicherie's brother, Daniel, was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to hiring Pellicano to place wiretaps on the phone of a Hollywood businessman.