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.
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.
30 comments:
Chief Webster and Barrie Tilghman were behind the whole thing.
Congratulations Joe! Smart move. GA is a great friend.
I never paid attention to this political crap, but I am glad it is over for Joe. Judge Beckstead did the right thing in giving probation. I know trials could cost a lot of bucks to anyone whether or not the individual is innocent. Joe, whatever you did, it is your business, and the DT yould keep their mouth shut; my opinion. Y best wishes.
The whole affair emmits a strong abuse of power stench. Time will tell.
Joe you made the right decision. I've been thinking about you all day wondering how things were going. Now you can take a deep breath and get on with life with a smile on your face. I'm sure Tilghman isn't smiling.
K
The states attorney offered the plea because they didn't have a case. Everyone liked the deal because it saved the taxpayers many thousands of dollars and everyone walks away a winner. That is unless your Webster or Tilghman. Great move Judge Beckstead.
I'll bet the anti Albero bloggers are ticked off. Duvall is the one who started it all though Joe. He's the one who fed it to the Mayor and Chief. I heard Charles Jannace and Don Richardson had their hands in it as well. Watch your back Joe.
A legal friend.
"The states attorney offered the plea because they didn't have a case."
Sorry, can’t buy that. If they didn't have a case at all Joe would have fought to clear his name. It is exactly because there was good evidence that Joe was lucky they were willing to let him make an Alford plea. We all know Joe is a fighter and would have stayed in there to completely clear his name if there wasn’t some way they might get him on the charges.
Probation before judgment is used all the time when the accused has a clean record and the situation of the crime is something the DA’s office does not necessarily want to put someone in jail for. It is used for example for DUI’s as a way to provide some penalty without incarceration or ruining a person’s otherwise clean police record.
Anyway, glad its over and that Joe is free to get back to his life. I’m sure the drama around those involved isn’t over, unfortunately.
anon 5:34 We all knoe that pair hates Joe. You shave wwtp Tilghmans head and you gotta set of twins.
It was a vendetta, plain and simple. There were no taxes at issue. Next time anyone goes to a settlement and hires an attorney and a 1031 tax exchange company, they better read ever paper set in front of them before they're signed. Just goes to show you what lengths local politicians will go to with string pulling.
Duvall continues to bash Harris despite the fact that he exemplifies conservative values, JUST FOR SPITE. What a horses ass.
Duvall's a pitiful excuse for a former attorney. It always seems that people his age are allowed the racist comments because they are from a different generation, you know, things were different back then. Oh excuse me? That makes it right?
Get this straight you old fart, you live in the same world with the same laws and morales expected of myself and no matter your age your racist comments are only a residue of your own ignorance.
Maybe if I accidently trip you up next time you walk by on your walker, you have every right and the freedom to call me stupid, the burden of proof that it was intentional is on you, ya old goat. My word against yours, how's that eyesight again?
And yes you are excused to go for a diaper change.
an alford plea means that the defendant does not admit to any wrong doing but agrees that the state has enough evidence to convict him. the states attorney would usually go with an alford plea because it counts as a conviction in their record books but does not cost them a possible loss or the expense of trial. Joe's was probably not going to face jail time anyway even if he was convicted due to the fact that he does not have a criminal record. it is a win/win situation for both sides, cause joe gets PBJ and continues to have a clean record upon completion of his probation, and the state attorneys office chalks it up as a win because the defendant pled.
Exactly what I thought the outcome would be, PBJ, I hadn't thought of the Alfred Plea, that's why you get attornies. Congrat's Joe I know you have to be happy that's behind you.
With all the crime we are facing here, you'd be holding up a cell that someone else certainly deserves more than you do. I got a whiff of the Duvall, Jannace, Richardson conspiricy in one of the anonymous posts.
Time for somebody to take out the white trash. Those closet skeltons are packed for release at anytime. Once again Joe thanks for saving the taxpayers some more money.
I like your new count down meter Joe, got the time set right down to the very last second and it can't come soon enough.
Congrats Joe,
You can now move forward, Thanks for all the great news, the City really needs people in the community that make a difference! I award you the CITIZENS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AWARD!
Joe remember this quote,
"If malice or envy were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang"
It boils down to, what goes around comes around, we all reap what we sow!
I'd heard that this was going to happen. I didn't know about the Alford plea but it seems appropriate under the circumstances. The judges knew what this was about. It was political retaliation plain and simple. The judges and the attorneys know. It's interesting to know that many of the judges in this county and the surrounding counties believe that Chiefy and the Mare have effectively destroyed Salisbury. It seems they also have concerns that this destruction is spreading out into the county. It's funny to watch Bubba attach himself to the mare thinking he is gaining the political edge when it's actually costing him everything. Judges are extremely influential people. You don't think they're going to stand by and let this continue, do you?
Good for Joe!A witchhunt is over.
How about sharing what the charges were, and when this offense happened.
I'm a huge Joe supporter, but I don't know the facts about this case.
GO, JOE.
Don't waste your time and effort on Duvall -- he's not worth a bucket of warm spit -- Barrie is the real public enemy.
I thought that Salisbury's Trial of the Century was Tilghman vs. Albero? Think about how many chances the Mare would have to trip over herself explaining how certain events happen in this city and why they are not favors.
Anonymous said...
Duvall continues to bash Harris...
6:46 PM
And the funny thing is he has Harris signs in his window on Main Street.
Well my friend, that's 2 down and 1to go. Lets see Barrie take the stand and tell her first lie in court...(I swear to tell the truth...) Ummm isn't that perjury?
Good job Joe.
Does Barrie Tilghman even know how many of us KNOW she and Chief Webster took that ride to Annapolis to get this ball rolling? If Don Richardson wasn't such a speed freak he'd have all of his paperwork in order OR, were they done intentionally? This begs many questions. How did he have your wrong address on the paper you signed under oath and the next page he has your correct address? Seems to me he is a major part of the conspiracy. Maybe he needs a dose of what Art Webster just suffered.
TRUST NO ONE!!!
PBJ Sucks for the Innocent!
This is not a win in any sense of the word. Yes the Alfred plea states that you do not admit to any wrong doing but a PBJ means that you aren't innocent either.
Here is a lesson for you all... don't ever ever ever never sign anything in a real estate settlement or any other documents that you have not read every single page of!
These lawyers on the shore are lazy and sloppy and they didn't do their homework with addresses. If you don't read it and correct it, it is on you and as we see, will be used against you if you ever piss off someone with a little bit of power.
Just like the bankers right now, we didn't see the attorney that screwed this mess up in the first place in court today, instead we saw Joe.
Now with a PBJ every peon of the SBY admin will try to find every excuse in the book to get Joe on something, even if it is a traffic violation.
Who needs to be looking over their shoulder all the time?
This is an atrocity and should be duly noted as such. PBJ is BS!
I can't wait till Barrie is out of office! She won't have her crew to hide behind and dig her out anymore! She"ll have alot of answering to do to many people once shes one of us again. Just remember every dog has her day! Can't wait!
Barrie may have friends in high places but I'll take my friends in low places any day over hers. At least I can trust my friends, I know what to expect from them. Barrie on the other hand has no idea which one of her buddies will be putting the knife in or which one will be twisting it. Watch your back Barrie, you have NO FRIENDS, not even Lore. She'll be the first one to cut your throat. Mark my words. Let the good times roll.
"Personally, I would not wish this on my worst enemy much less a friend." - Then advise your friends not to try to avoid paying taxes.
Anonymous 8:49,
Perhaps you should READ today's Daily Times article where the States Attorney clearly said I was NOT at any point trying to avoid any taxes. They jumped the gun and they admit to that. The States Attorney was quoted as saying such. Nice try anti Albero.
I was told Duvall's son put the Harris sign in the window.
Thanks GA for setting the record straight. The Disgrace and the TV stations made it sound a lot worse than it actually is for Joe!
A. Goetz
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