A former doctor charged with killing his wife in their Syracuse-area home was found guilty Thursday after his second trial.
Robert Neulander had been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison in 2015 after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Leslie. That conviction was overturned due to the misconduct of juror, which led to the second trial this year.
The jury in the second trial deliberated for about six hours Thursday before delivering the guilty verdict. Neulander, 70, was immediately put in handcuffs and taken away, according to Syracuse.com.
Leslie Neulander's death in September 2012 was initially ruled an accident after Robert Neulander told police his 61-year-old wife had slipped and fallen in the shower.
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Onondaga County prosecutors later contended the obstetrician-gynecologist killed her in a fit of rage inside their home.
The Neulanders, who were prominent in the community, were in the process of separating when she was found dead.
A divided state appeals court in 2018 ruled that the judge in the initial trial incorrectly affirmed the guilty verdict despite juror misconduct. A juror had admitted receiving biased texts during the trial. One text from the juror’s father read, “Make sure he’s guilty.”
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Neulander faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
He surrendered his medical license after his first conviction.
