Rabbi Fred J. Neulander on Friday nearly talked himself onto death row, legal experts believe.

The convicted clergyman's speech to a jury considering his fate - words meant to save his life - likely offended some listeners, said several South Jersey criminal attorneys.

"When he started talking, I thought that was the only thing that could get him killed," said John Call, a Mount Holly attorney with experience in death-penalty cases.

That harsh view was shared by one of the rabbi's children, Matthew Neulander, 29, who called the speech " absolutely galling" in a Court TV interview.

Neulander, who was convicted of arranging the November 1994 murder of his wife, Carol, escaped the death penalty when jurors could not agree on a sentence. But courtroom observers said the split vote showed some jurors rejected the rabbi's remarks.

"Going into Fred Neulander's sermon, I thought he had an excellent chance of getting a unanimous verdict for a life sentence. But once he started talking, I thought he was in trouble," said Richard Sparaco, a Cherry Hill lawyer who called the 22-minute speech "distasteful, hypocritical and offensive."

Evidence in the trial showed the rabbi, who admitted to several extra-marital affairs, had his wife beaten to death in their home so he could keep seeing a mistress.

But the rabbi surprised observers by telling jurors that he missed his wife and still loved her. Critics questioned the speech's religious overtones, including a story taken from the Bible. And they noted the rabbi made only a fleeting reference to remorse - and that may have referred to his adultery.

"I was angered at his apparent arrogance that I presumed the jury would pick up on," said Jerrold Colton, a Voorhees attorney. "And I was angered that the man clearly has so much talent - and at his horrible waste of that talent."

Colton said he was taken aback when Neulander mentioned a running gag with his wife, where both would say they wanted to grow old together, but slowly.

"Some jurors might say, `Hey, the reason she didn't grow old is because you had her killed.'"

"That's a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory," Moorestown attorney Mark Catanzaro said of the speech.

But legal experts expressed little surprise at the jury's decision.

Moorestown attorney Mark Catanzaro noted the rabbi's youngest child, Benjamin, 27, asked jurors Thursday to spare his father's life. "It's pretty tough for a jury to sit there and take away the last parent," he said.

Observers also credited Neulander with stressing his ability to help inmates, possibly as a prison teacher.

"That's what you need to say to give the jury justification," said Leonard Baker, a Haddonfield lawyer. " The jurors who voted to spare his life, maybe they feel he could help someone."

Others suggested the rabbi's age, 61, and former status as a religious leader influenced jurors.

"He's lost prominence, power, wealth - that's a tremendous punishment," said Call. "Death is really overkill."

He said Neulander's preaching tone was "a bit hypocritical," but also understandable.

"This is probably the last opportunity he'll have to speak in public to an audience," said Call. "He's been on stage the majority of his adult life. Those days are over."