The Trial of Donna Moonda

A guide to the case

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

KEY FIGURES

The accused:
Donna Moonda

The victim:
Dr. Gulam Moonda

The killer:
Damian Bradford

On July 18, a federal jury rejected the death penalty and unanimously sentenced Donna Moonda to life in a federal prison without the possibility of release after convicting her July 6 of hiring a young man to murder her husband, Dr. Gulam Moonda. Federal prosecutors accused Mrs. Moonda of hiring her lover, Damian Bradford, to kill Dr. Moonda on the Ohio Turnpike two years ago.

Mrs. Moonda, 48, of Hermitage, Mercer County, admitted her romantic involvement with Mr. Bradford, 25, but claimed she had nothing to do with the death of her husband. She did not testify in her own defense.

Mr. Bradford pleaded guilty in the case last summer and agreed to testify against Mrs. Moonda in return for a 17 1/2-year prison sentence.

Below is a guide to the Moonda case, including coverage of the trial and previous Post-Gazette articles, photos, graphics. Selected court documents are at the bottom of the page.

The Trial, Week One
Moonda jurors asked to decide if wife was partner in killing or patsy for lover, 6/19/07
Prosecutors chip away at Donna Moonda's truthfulness, 6/20/07
Tapes tie Donna Moonda to killer, 6/21/07
Donna Moonda, on trial for her life, with sketches, 6/22/07
Defense downplays Moonda cell calls to lover, 6/22/07