Judge Gives Lesser Term in Killing : Sentencing: The Oxnard man’s attorney argues that the gang-related shooting was a natural reaction ‘in his environment.’

An Oxnard man who pleaded guilty to a gang-related killing was spared the maximum sentence Monday after his attorney argued that he “did what he had been taught to do in his environment.”

Jessie Casares, 21, was sentenced to 11 years and eight months for voluntary manslaughter in the slaying of William Leadbetter, 17, on Oct. 22.

Casares faced up to 16 years in prison. But Ventura County Superior Court Judge Lawrence Storch said he did not think that the killing was planned and that it did not warrant the maximum term.

Casares said he carried a .25-caliber handgun after death threats were spray-painted on his residence and car. He said he suspected a rival gang member, Joey Ramirez, 20. Later, after Ramirez and Leadbetter chased him in a pickup truck and appeared to have a weapon, Casares fired at the truck.

The shots missed Ramirez and hit Leadbetter in the eye.

“My client saw what looked like a rifle,” said Casares’ attorney, William C. Maxwell. “He had a .25. He did what to him was necessary and normal to defend himself. . . .

“We say that was not reasonable. We’re right, probably,” Maxwell said. But noting the gang-related drive-by slaying of two men in Saticoy on Sunday, he said: “We have subgroups in society . . . they are not in touch with the rest of us.”

Leadbetter’s mother and sister asked the judge for the maximum sentence.

“He murdered my son in cold blood,” said Patricia Haneslo, adding that Leadbetter was not a gang member. Later, she said her son was just giving Ramirez a ride.

But Maxwell said Leadbetter “was driving a known gang member after a car containing known gang members.” He said the driver of the car in which Casares was riding tried to flee but the truck pursued them.

“This was not a cold-blooded murder,” Maxwell said.

Although he obtained the sentence that he sought for his client, Maxwell told Storch that “what we do in the courts and the criminal justice system is almost irrelevant” to those who live with the violence caused by gangs.

“I don’t know what causes us to think we’re correcting this problem,” Maxwell said. “It’s increasing even though society is taking steps to punish them.”