A Perthshire woman who was convicted of attempting to kill her husband after finding child sex abuse images on his computer has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Joanna Findlay (41), from Blairgowrie, was sentenced in Maryland in the United States on Tuesday for her part in the incident at the marital home in Hollywood, Maryland, on October 30 2010.
While convicted of one charge, the university lecturer was cleared of her husband Gary Trogdon’s murder by a jury, who concluded he had killed himself.
She had been released on bail, pending sentence for second degree attempted murder and a handgun charge following the death of her 55-year-old husband, a former US Air Force lieutenant colonel.
It is understood Findlay will appeal her sentence but will be held in the notorious Jessup Women’s Prison until the appeal is heard.
Findlay moved from Blairgowrie 15 years ago on a student exchange programme and married Mr Trogdon 11 years ago. A former Dundee College and Aberdeen University student, she always maintained that her husband had turned his gun on himself after she confronted him though she admitted firing two shots into the floor.
It is understood her parents, Thomas and Frieda Findlay from Blairgowrie, travelled to the US to support their daughter for today’s sentencing. They also spent time in America during the aftermath of the original incident and the trial.
After the original trial Findlay paid tribute to her parents and spoke of the toll the episode had had on them.
”The whole experience has had a profound effect on their lives,” she said. ”They are not wealthy but my family managed to get together the money for my bail, criminal lawyer, civil lawyer, and all the other costs associated with this nightmare.
”I believe this whole experience has had a terrible effect on their health and well-being, much of it stemming from their inability to have me set free.”
During the trial St Mary’s County Circuit Court heard the couple began fighting after Findlay confronted Mr Trogdon about more than 3,000 allegedly indecent images of children she found on his computer.
Testimony from the medical examiner’s office said an autopsy determined Mr Trogdon was killed by a .38-calibre handgun while Findlay fired a .22 pistol.See Wednesday’s Courier for further coverage and full reaction to the sentencing decision