COMPTON, Calif. - An alleged gang member pleaded no contest Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter in the 2003 shooting death of the half-sister of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.

Robert Edward Maxfield entered his plea on the day his third trial in the killing was scheduled to start.

The 25-year-old Maxfield was accused of shooting Yetunde Price in the back of the head while she sat in an SUV driven by her boyfriend, who was not injured.

The 31-year-old Price had three children, owned a beauty shop and was also a personal assistant to her sisters.

Maxfield is scheduled to be sentenced on April 6.

Prosecutors said Maxfield was a member of the Southside Crips and was seeking revenge on another gang. They alleged during trial that Maxfield, surrounded by fellow gang members at a crack house, seized an assault weapon and took aim at the SUV when it approached.

Last April, a judge declared a mistrial in the previous proceedings after a jury reported it had voted 11-1 in favor of convicting Maxfield.

Another jury had deadlocked, with five jurors voting to convict Maxfield, six favoring acquittal and one unable to decide.

A judge dismissed charges against another suspect in the case who had been suspected of shooting at Price but not firing the shots that killed her.

State law allows a murder charge for taking part in a crime in which a person is killed by someone else.