By ALAN GUENTHER
Courier-Post Staff
FREEHOLD
Ultimately, jailhouse informer David Beardsley had little impact on the murder conviction of Rabbi Fred J. Neulander.
Beardsley made news last week when he tried to damage the credibility of star prosecution witness Leonard Jenoff, who testified the rabbi hired him to kill his wife.
Beardsley testified that, when the two shared a Camden County Jail cellblock in May 2000, Jenoff confessed to him that the rabbi had nothing to do with the murder.
"He made it clear that the rabbi had nothing to do with it, that he and his partner, who I later learned was (Paul Michael) Daniels, went there to rob the woman, that it was a robbery gone bad," Beardsley told the jury.
"I kept arguing with him, `You've got to tell the truth,'" Beardsley said. "He just kept arguing back, `I've got to do what's best for me.'"
Jenoff also admitted he was involved in other murders, including the unsolved stabbing death of Janice Bell in Voorhees in 1995, according to Beardsley. The Bell connection was a surprise development that caused a two-day trial delay as attorneys and the judge hammered out how much could be told to jurors. Ultimately, the judge ruled information about the Bell case had to be limited so as to not confuse jurors.
Beardsley has been convicted of armed robbery and sexual assault, but the jury wasn't given details about his criminal record. From testimony, jurors knew Beardsley had served time in prison. But because his rape conviction is being appealed, Beardsley was allowed to appear in a coat and tie, instead of the prison uniform worn by inmates.
Beardsley is serving a 20-year prison term for sexual assault at South Woods state prison in Cumberland County.
Ultimately, the jury did not believe Beardsley, said attorney Glenn Zeitz, a commentator for Court TV.
"Beardsley was a non-issue," Zeitz said.
When two of the rabbi's children testified against him, and radio personality Elaine Soncini and Rabbi Gary Mazo testified for the prosecution - "that's what bolstered Jenoff's credibility. That's what made the difference," said Zeitz.
