By MIKE DANIELS
Courier-Post Staff
FREEHOLD
After winning perhaps the most watched case of his career, Camden County First Assistant Prosecutor James Lynch was quick to heap praise on others.
Standing behind a podium in the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Lynch complimented those who worked to solve the murder of Carol Neulander. He also praised her family ‡ the victim's sister, two brothers and their spouses - who stood shoulder to shoulder behind him, and Michael Riley, Rabbi Fred J. Neulander's attorney.
One person he did not compliment was the rabbi.
"I think Mr. Neulander's conduct ... is about as despicable as any conduct that is imaginable," Lynch said.
Lynch was not surprised that Neulander did not apologize for, or admit to, the crime he was convicted of Wednesday.
"I think the persona reflected by the defendant while he was giving his allocution was a fair reflection of the man," Lynch said.
Lynch explained why he did not outright ask the jurors to sentence Neulander to death.
"It's unseemly to ask citizens that they put a fellow citizen to death," Lynch said. "To my personal view, it's appropriate to argue the facts, it's appropriate to argue the law, but a decision of such momentous impact has to be something the jury arrives at on its own. I think that it's an insulting thing to have someone demand death row in a case."
Lynch also talked about the support he's received from Carol Neulander's brothers and sister.
"I did not ever have the opportunity to meet Carol Neulander, but having met and spent significant time with the family, I can only imagine what a magnificent person she was," Lynch said. "This is a prosecution that was honorable, that was determined and that believed in its cause. She was a fine, fine person that was killed for no good reason, and I'm very, very thankful that we were able to put the case together."
Lynch's boss, Camden County Prosecutor Vincent Sarubbi, was quick to praise Lynch.
"I can think of a lot of words to describe his efforts over the past several weeks and the past several years, but two come to mind: brilliant and heroic," Sarubbi said.
Reach Mike Daniels at (856) 486-2457 or mdaniels@courierpostonline.com
