Albero Trial Over – No Guilty Verdict to Put A Smile on the Faces of Tilghman or Duvall

September 16, 2008 by Cato  
Filed under Blogging, Courts, Maryland, Salisbury Politics, Wicomico Politics

It’s finally over.  The trial of the century (at least as far as Salisbury Mayor Barrie Tilghman or Bill Duvall are concerned) has concluded with a whimper instead of a bang.

Yes, it is true that Salisbury News publisher Joe Albero gave an Alford plea this morning in Wicomico County Circuit Court.  Judge Kathleen L. Beckstead gave Albero probation before judgment with one year’s probation.  Despite what you will read elsewhere, that translates into no record upon completion of the probationary period.

Admittedly, I have a personal stake in this matter.  Joe and Jennifer Albero are friends.  If I were in similar circumstances I too would have given the Alford plea; so would Tilghman or Duvall.  Any moderately sane person would when your personal liberty is at stake, no matter how remote the probability of incarceration.

Regardless, expect to hear Duvall (and possibly Tilghman) crow about this matter.  Personally, I would not wish this on my worst enemy much less a friend.  However, I can take comfort that Joe was not found guilty of any charge.

It’s a shame that Bill Duvall cannot make the same claim.  Someone who was once given the honor of selecting our judges, Duvall was forced to resign from the District 1 Judicial Nominating Commission because of racist remarks.  Yet Duvall has the temerity to attack Albero for a crime which he was not even convicted of.

Duvall owes Albero an apology.  Whether you agree with him or not (and I often don’t), I don’t see Joe Albero being tagged as a racist.  Now Duvall will have to go back to merely bitching about what Joe writes, which is proper in a free society.