The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

February 6, 2008

Frost guilty of lesser charge; Jury: Sopher killing was manslaughter

By Patrick W. Connelly

MAHONING, MERCER COUNTIES — A Youngstown man whose lawyer claimed he was having an out-of-body experience when he shot a former Sharon man in the head was convicted Wednesday of voluntary manslaughter.

The Mahoning County jury that delivered the verdict dropped a murder charge against Allen K. Frost in the Oct. 27 killing of Gregory Paul Sopher, sparing him a possible life sentence.

Frost, 38, was also found guilty of a gun charge.

“I think its a just verdict,” Frost’s attorney Martin E. Yavorcik said. “The jury looked at all the facts.”

Frost admitted to police he shot Sopher, 18, Canfield, Ohio, and formerly of Sharon, after a night of drinking and doing drugs at a Crandall Street home in Youngstown.

The shooting was unintentional, Yavorcik argued. An “out-of-body” experience led him to pull the trigger and he didn’t know how the gun went off, he said.

Prosecutor Robert Andrews disagreed. Sopher was shot from only about five feet away, he said. From that distance, Frost shot with the intent to kill, Andrews noted.

Sopher, who worked at Colonial Metal Products in Hermitage, had gone to Frost’s home on Oct. 26 to buy drugs with two friends, according to testimony in the case.

Sopher hadn’t met Frost before that evening, but witnesses said the two were introduced by mutual friend Jarrett Andrews, 28, of Columbus, Ohio.

Sopher and Frost left together to drink at a Youngstown bar and at about 3 a.m. returned to Frost’s home. The men placed a $50 bet on a video game, with the winner of a match of “Madden” keeping the money.

During the game, Frost showed Sopher his handgun, which Sopher had wanted to buy and the two went outside where Frost took a practice shot, witnesses said.

The men finished the video game, with Frost winning, Yavorcik said. Sopher tossed the money in Frost’s face, became angry, took off his shirt and wanted to fight, Yavorcik said.

Sopher then realized he was missing money and Frost believed he accused him of stealing it, witnesses said. Seconds later, Sopher was shot in the head.

Since the shooting, Frost has been upset and devastated, Yavorcik said. He pleaded not guilty Nov. 14 to a murder charge in an effort to go to trial and have the charge reduced, Yavorcik added.

Frost, who is to be sentenced March 21, will face from three to ten years in prison for the manslaughter charge and another three for the weapon, Yavorcik said.

The murder charge would have landed Frost in prison anywhere from 15 years to life, he said.

Prosecutor Robert Andrews was unavailable for comment after the trial.

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