Anthony Anderson expected to replace him

After nine seasons, Jesse L. Martin is about to turn in his "Law & Order" badge.

Martin, who plays Detective Ed Green on the long-running series, had signed on for 13 episodes of the show this season. He had an option to continue after that, but the showbiz trade papers report he chose to leave. He's expected to shoot one more episode of the show to give his character a send-off.

The show is in talks with "K-Ville" star Anthony Anderson to replace Martin, which would seem to be a death knell for the FOX series.

Martin's departure comes in a season heavy with cast turnover, even on a show famous for its rotating door for actors. Jeremy Sisto joined the show at the start of the season, playing Green's partner Cyrus Lupo, and Linus Roache came on board as Deputy District Attorney Michael Cutter, with Sam Waterston's Jack McCoy moving up to the D.A. post.

Anderson is not a stranger to the "L&O" brand -- he guest-starred as a detective on "Law & Order: SVU" in 2006. His recent credits also include "Transformers," "The Shield" and "The Departed."

Martin, meanwhile, will move on to playing Marvin Gaye in a biopic set to begin filming in the spring. He was part of the original cast of "Rent" and reprised his role for the 2005 film.