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

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.

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The Webster v Albero Saga Ends

As noted on Salisbury News, the lawsuit brought by Salisbury Police Chief Allan Webster against Salisbury News publisher Joe Albero has been settled, hours before the trial was due to begin in Snow Hill. Albero could not comment other than to refer me to the lead of his post:

“The Parties have resolved their disagreement on non-monetary terms.”

Given that the settlement is on non-monetary terms and there was no mea culpa from Albero, it is a safe conclusion that he did not initiate the agreement. We can only speculate as to why Webster would settle this late in the game.

Read more

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For Bill Duvall, the Enemy of My Enemy …

I’m sure that you have heard the old adage, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”. If you have ever been involved in politics, you have probably been guilty of falling for it at one time or another. Unfortunately, few locals have been more guilty of this sin of vacuity more than our local sage Bill Duvall.

There is no question that Bill would be leading the charge for the election of Maryland Sen. Andy Harris (R-7) to Congress EXCEPT for the support thrown on Harris by Salisbury News publisher Joe Albero (and perhaps myself). Harris and Duvall are very close philosophically. Of course it is far more important to trash someone who is perceived to be a friend of Duvall’s archenemy Albero.

Yesterday we were treated to a similar post by Duvall. Somehow, Duvall has decided that Albero has endorsed a tax increase for Salisbury.

I did a little search. The only two RECENT posts mentioning a tax increase on Salisbury News were one written by me (not Albero) and one post where Albero is drawing attention to the city’s crumbling public infrastructure. In this post Albero asks (tongue in cheek) if a 50% tax increase would make things better. Read more

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