Pocomoke Blogger Billy Burke found guilty of illegally taping mayor

Billy (William) Burke, Publisher of The Pocomoke Tattler a Pocomoke City resident who went on trial today on charges that he illegally recorded a heated conversation with his town's mayor, made a plea agreement and was sentenced to probation before judgment.

Burke entered an Alford plea this afternoon, conceding that prosecutors had enough evidence to obtain a conviction without admitting guilt.

A Circuit Court judge pronounced Burke guilty of a misdemeanor wiretapping charge and sentenced him to probation, but did not hand down any jail time.

Burke stood accused of violating state wiretapping laws by recording a conversation with mayor Mike McDermott just before spring elections in 2009 without telling McDermott he was being taped. Burke's wife, Stephanie Burke, was a candidate for city council at the time.

Burke, who runs the pocomoketattler.com blog, had asserted his innocence in a blog posting this morning, saying the Bill of Rights and free-speech laws ought to protect him in the matter.

Bill of Rights/Free Speech and all that