San Diego

A Southeast San Diego man pleaded guilty Thursday to voluntary manslaughter in the death of James Otis Leggett, who was shot in the mouth but died of meningitis one month later.

James Martin, 55, pleaded guilty at a readiness conference before Superior Court Judge William Mudd, who set sentencing for Sept. 20.

Martin shot Leggett on Dec. 1 near his house on Hensley Street after Martin brought his gun outside after hearing gunshots. Leggett, 39, was shot in the back of his mouth. He developed swelling of his brain and spinal cord that led to his death.

Defense attorney James Bloch said Martin shot Leggett after Leggett made a move for his pants pocket. Bloch said Leggett was known as an “enforcer” for drug dealers, and Martin had seen the victim beat people with baseball bats in Martin’s front yard.

Bloch said the shooting was a “situational occurrence. . . . This is not a case of (vigilantism), where a citizen tries to take matters into his own hands.”

Bloch said a number of factors contributed to his client’s change of plea, including saving his 12-year-old granddaughter from having to testify as a prosecution witness.

Martin, a cook who has been free on $50,000 bail, could be sentenced to a maximum 13 years in prison.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Elisabeth Porterfield said she was “very satisfied” with the disposition of the case.