FAIRFIELD — A Cambodian immigrant accused of shooting a colleague in front of co-workers last year will plead guilty today to murder, her attorney said Wednesday.

        Sophal Prom, 35, would have faced up to 23 years if found guilty of aggravated murder for the Sept. 28, 2000, shooting of Darlene Adams, 42, of Newport.

Sophal Prom

        Both women worked at Prestige Display & Packaging in Fairfield and after an argument, police say, Ms. Prom went home and returned to the plant with a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun. Ms. Adams was hit 17 times from the top of her right ear to her buttocks, a coroner's report showed.

        The plea deal will reduce her sentence by five years to 18 years in prison, her attorney, Greg Howard, of Hamilton, told the Enquirer.

        Ms. Prom's trial was to begin Monday, and she has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. But Mr. Howard said he doesn't believe he can defend her because she has been examined by two psychologists who have found her sane at the time of the shooting. Dozens of witnesses to the shooting also have been subpoenaed to testify, court records show.

        Mr. Howard said he will enter the plea at 2:30 p.m. today before Butler County Common Pleas Judge H.J. Bressler. Butler County Assistant Prosecutor Brenda Cox has not returned calls for comment this week.

        Ms. Prom, who has a history of mental illness, has been held at the Summit Behavioral Healthcare Center and is taking medication.

        “She still has significant psychological problems,” Mr. Howard said. “Hopefully, she will get whatever help she needs. But I think prison is probably the worst place in the world for her.”

        Mr. Howard said he and Ms. Cox have received consent from Ms. Adams' family for the plea.

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