San Diego

A former transvestite prostitute whose conviction for murdering a potential customer was reversed on appeal pleaded guilty Monday to voluntary manslaughter.

Eddie Chow, 30, made the plea to avoid a new murder trial. San Diego Superior Court Judge Herbert Exarhos set sentencing for Oct. 11.

Chow’s attorney, P. Ed Fort, said Chow may be released from jail on his sentencing date because he has already served five years in custody.

The case involves the Jan. 15, 1983, stabbing death of Joseph Sardina after he encountered Chow downtown in the early morning hours. Chow was dressed as a woman and testified at his trial that he stabbed Sardina in self-defense after the man tried to choke him.

A jury disagreed with Chow’s self-defense theory and convicted him of second-degree murder. Chow was sentenced to 16 years to life in state prison.

A co-defendant, Terence McClanahan, 28, was acquitted.

On April 8, the 4th District Court of Appeal reversed Chow’s conviction because his attorney did not ask that instructions for involuntary manslaughter be read to the jury. The opinion stated that the mistake deprived Chow of a “potentially meritorious defense.”

Chow will be sentenced for manslaughter under 1983 laws and thus faces only a maximum of seven years. Several years ago the California Legislature increased the maximum penalty for voluntary manslaughter to 11 years.

Because of his five years already served and credit for time served, Fort said, he expects Chow to walk out the door at sentencing.

The original trial was heard by Judge James Malkus in 1983.