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Camden, NJ - Confessed hit man Len Jenoff, serving a 23-year sentence for the murder of the wife of Cherry Hill Rabbi Fred Neulander, wants his conviction and sentence overturned.

Jenoff, the key prosecution witness against Neulander in two trials, has claimed in papers filed in court that he was not properly represented by his defense attorney when he worked out a plea deal with prosecutors.

Jenoff, 62, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the death of Carol Neulander, who was found beaten to death in her Cherry Hill home on Nov. 1, 1994.

Jenoff was represented by attorney Francis J. Hartman when he agreed to cooperate more than five years after the murder. In his filings, Jenoff alleges that Hartman was often inattentive at court proceedings and meetings in which his plea agreement was worked out. Hartman has long been considered one of the top defense attorneys in South Jersey.

Jenoff said the "sweetheart deal" he was promised was a five-year prison sentence. He also claimed in the letter that he tailored his testimony, which he described as "rehearsed and often false," to please investigators.

On the witness stand during two trials, Jenoff detailed how Fred Neulander promised him $30,000 if he would kill his wife. He said Neulander wanted his wife dead.

Jenoff said he met Neulander while attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at his synagogue, Congregation M'kor Shalom in Cherry Hill. Jenoff said he was only paid $7,500 for the hit.

He pleaded guilty and testified for the prosecution.

Neulander, 66, was convicted of first-degree murder in November 2002 and is serving a life sentence with a stipulation of no parole for 30 years. He has been in jail for about eight years.

The case is before Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Brown.