Testimony Continues for Rabbi

A rabbi charged with arranging his wife's murder told a friend before the killing that he wanted his wife dead, two witnesses testified Tuesday.

Both said Rabbi Fred Neulander's racquetball partner also told them that the rabbi had asked if he knew anyone who could kill his wife.

Neulander's wife, Carol, was killed on Nov. 1, 1994, in their Cherry Hill, N.J., home. Prosecutors charge that the rabbi hired two men to commit the murder so he could continue an affair with a Philadelphia radio personality. The defense contends the two confessed hit men are lying about Neulander's involvement.

The testimony came as the second week of the rabbi's second murder trial got under way. A Camden County jury in the first trial last year could not reach a verdict, and a mistrial was declared. The retrial was moved to Monmouth County because of heavy media coverage.

Repeating testimony they gave at the first trial, Anthony Federici and Cynthia Sharp-Myers both said they were told about Neulander's talk of wanting his wife dead by Myron "Pep" Levin, who testified last week.

Both also admitted under cross-examination by defense attorney Michael Riley that they originally lied to police by denying any knowledge of the Levin conversation.

New testimony came Tuesday from Marylee Alperin, who described herself as Carol Neulander's "best buddy." She said they met at the M'kor Shalom synagogue when Neulander became the congregation's rabbi.

Alperin denied the rabbi's claims that he and his wife had an open marriage that allowed them to seek other sexual partners.

Alperin said she was angry when Neulander told her husband in the months after the killing about an open marriage arrangement and about having had two affairs. The three set up a meeting at a restaurant to talk about it, Alperin said.

"The first thing I did, I punched him in the arm," she said. "He told us that he and Carol had an open marriage.

"I knew Carol very well. No way would she agree to an open marriage."

Under cross-examination, Riley got Alperin to acknowledge that married couples have discussions that they don't share with anyone else.

Anita Hochman, the cantor at M'kor Shalom, agreed with others who have testified about how unusual it was for the rabbi to be at the synagogue on the night of the killing. Prosecutors contend Neulander made the appearance as part of his alibi.

Hochman said the rabbi appeared to be in a good mood that night. "Somebody said, 'How you doing, Rabbi?' and he said, 'Great,'" Hochman said.

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Author: NBC10/AP