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Woman pleads no contest in poisoning of son’s girlfriend

WILKES-BARRE (AP) — A woman accused of seriously sickening her son’s girlfriend by poisoning her with antifreeze has entered a plea agreement that avoids the need for her to go on trial for the second time.

Eighty-six-year-old Helen Galli of Wyoming, Pennsylvania, was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to 5½ to 12 years. She appealed and then her conviction was overturned.

Galli pleaded no contest Monday as part of an agreement with prosecutors, who are withdrawing all other charges. Prosecutors said the deal calls for a sentence of three years and three months, with credit for 1,000 days served and the balance on house arrest.

Prosecutors say Galli spiked a glass of juice with antifreeze in March 2010 and passed it to the woman, who was left near death and spent months recovering.