AKRON, Ohio -- Donna Moonda could get the death penalty for arranging her husband's murder.

Damian Bradford, who actually pulled the trigger, could get out of prison in as little as 15 years if everything breaks the way he hopes.

Annie O'Neill, Post-Gazette Donna Moonda Click photo for larger image.
Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette Damian Bradford Click photo for larger image.

If any part of the Moonda murder prosecution bothers ordinary citizens, it is the relatively lenient sentence that the U.S. attorney has recommended for Mr. Bradford.

Mr. Bradford and Mrs. Moonda both killed for money, but federal prosecutors regarded her as more morally responsible for the crime.

Mr. Bradford, now 26, had only seen Dr. Gulam Moonda a couple of times before he shot him to death on the Ohio Turnpike.

Mrs. Moonda, 48, had been married to the doctor for 14 years when she began plotting his murder and looking for a hired killer. In short, prosecutors believed that Mrs. Moonda put the whole sordid plot in motion, and that Mr. Bradford was greedy enough to carry it out.

The second phase of her trial, in which jurors will decide whether to sentence her to death or life in prison, begins next Monday. U.S. District Judge David Dowd said he expects two or three days of testimony before the question of her punishment goes to the jury.

As for Mr. Bradford, he still has to be sentenced by Judge Dowd, who is not bound by the terms of the plea bargain.

Michael DeRiso, Mr. Bradford's lawyer, said he hopes the judge will impose the 17¹/₂-year sentence recommended by prosecutors. Mr. Bradford might not serve even that much time if he behaves himself in prison.

Mr. Bradford already has been in jail for 15 months since his arrest and guilty plea. The time he has served would count toward whatever sentence Judge Dowd imposes.

If Judge Dowd imposes the 17¹/₂-year sentence recommended by prosecutors, Mr. Bradford could have two ways of shortening it.

First, he could receive a reduction of 52 days for every year served if he is a model prisoner credited with "good time."

Mr. Bradford also might be eligible for a one-year reduction if Judge Dowd recommends him for a drug treatment program and federal prison administrators agree to accept him.

"What a deal. He could be out of prison when he is 39 years old," said Roger Synenberg, Mrs. Moonda's lawyer.

The plea bargain, though controversial, was acceptable to Dr. Moonda's relatives, Mr. DeRiso said.

"People have to understand that the family approved the deal that I got Damian. Any plea bargain of this magnitude is done with the victims' consent," Mr. DeRiso said.

Mr. Bradford's testimony helped convict Mrs. Moonda. But it also demonstrated that he twice plotted with her to kill Dr. Moonda, and that he committed the murder after considerable premeditation.

Mr. Bradford said their first plan was to murder Dr. Moonda at his mosque in Youngstown, Ohio, during the early part of 2005.

In his sworn testimony, Mr. Bradford said he talked on a cell phone with Mrs. Moonda as he waited for the doctor to emerge from the mosque.

By Mr. Bradford's account, she said Dr. Moonda might be with another physician, Dr. Iftikhar Chatha.

Mr. Bradford said Mrs. Moonda told him to kill them both if he had to.

But after sizing up the situation, Mr. Bradford said, he aborted the murder plan at the mosque.

He followed Dr. Moonda back to his office near Hermitage, Pa., then went to meet with Donna Moonda at the home she shared with her husband.

Mr. Bradford said he suggested that they kill Dr. Moonda when he returned home, but Mrs. Moonda vetoed the idea. She said a family trip on the Ohio Turnpike was coming up, and they would kill her husband then.

That trip, which occurred May 13, 2005, was the last day of Dr. Moonda's life. Mrs. Moonda suddenly pulled off the turnpike that evening. Mr. Bradford, who was tailing the Moondas, parked behind her, then robbed and killed Dr. Moonda with a bullet to the face.

She told police the killer was a mysterious robber.

On his return drive to Pennsylvania after murdering Dr. Moonda, Mr. Bradford said he smoked a cigarette and spoke on his cell phone with clients in his drug-dealing business. He testified that he wanted to bury the memory of what he had just done.

"At the time he didn't have remorse, but in my opinion he does now," Mr. DeRiso said.

Mr. DeRiso also said prosecutors probably could not have convicted Mrs. Moonda without Mr. Bradford's help.

"He stood up there and told the truth, knowing that a lot of it made him look bad," Mr. DeRiso said.

He also said that Mr. Bradford's detailed account was valuable to people who cared about Dr. Moonda.

"I think the family first and foremost wanted to know what truly happened. That has occurred, so they're not going to come to court and say Damian shouldn't get the deal."

Judge Dowd, of course, does not have to accept the plea agreement.

He made that point during Mrs. Moonda's trial, when her lawyers described Mr. Bradford's 17¹/₂-year sentence as a done deal.

Judge Dowd has not yet scheduled sentencing for Mr. Bradford. The judge wanted to see if he kept his promise to testify truthfully in Mrs. Moonda's trial.

Right now, it appears that Mr. Bradford has a chance to have a long life after prison.

Still, Mr. DeRiso said, Mr. Bradford has many hard years ahead.

"This has been a high-profile case, and people are going to be gunning for this kid," he said.