San Diego

A mother and her daughter pleaded guilty Friday to soliciting a hit man to kill their husbands.

Venise Morris, 28, of La Mesa, and Judith East, 45, of Paradise Hills, face sentencing March 30. The maximum sentence is nine years in state prison.

A charge of conspiracy to commit murder, which carries a 25 years to life penalty, was dismissed in a plea bargain by San Diego Superior Court Judge Andrew Wagner.

No actual slaying attempt occurred against Michael Morris, 41, of El Cajon, or Mark East, 31, who is in the Navy and believed to be at sea.

The women were arrested in mid-September after both contacted an undercover police officer who posed as a hit man. Morris allegedly offered $5,000 to the officer to kill her husband and reportedly gave him a $1,000 personal check as down payment.

“They’re both in the process of getting a divorce,” said Morris’ attorney, Robert Slatten.

Slatten said he thought one of the women’s divorce will be final on Valentine’s Day.

Morris, who also uses the name of Venise Amati, remains free on $30,000 bail, but her mother remains in jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

The pleas vacate a trial that had been set for next week.