The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 23

The News-Journal papers B3 Conviction is upheld in Seaford murder SSWTO urn Meet: DAVID A. HOUNSHELL and JOHN KENLY SMITH, JR Authors of SCIENCE CORPORATE STRATEGY By Jerry Hager Staff reporter The state Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of James K. Albury, who pleaded guilty to murdering his estranged girlfriend in 1979 in the parking lot of the Du Pont Seaford plant. Albury, who is serving a life sentence, tried to withdraw the guilty plea because he thought his lawyer was ineffective and the prosecutor didn't offer him a chance to plead to a reduced charge. Albury appealed to the state Supreme Court after Sussex County Superior Court denied the appeal.

The Supreme Court released its opinion Wednesday. At a hearing in Superior Court tices Andrew G.T. Moore III and Joseph T. Walsh concurring, claimed that "Superior Court properly denied Albury's claim that the alleged deficiencies of his trial attorney resulted in a denial of due process." About the plea bargain, Holland- wrote that "the record supports the conclusion that the state's charges against Albury were brought in good faith and that the plea bargaining process was conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner." Pregnant woman slain at plant in 1979 on the appeal, Albury said his attorney, Arlen B. Mekler, pressured him into pleading guilty to avoid the death penalty and didn't properly investigate the possibility of using an emotional duress defense.

He shot Susan Layton four times with a pistol Dec. 21, 1979, in the plant's parking lot, after arguing with her on the telephone. The prosecutor was seeking the death penalty, calling the death a classic case of premeditated murder. Layton was pregnant with Albury 's baby and had been the mother of his infant daughter. In a statement to the police, he claimed he wanted to talk to her and see why she had left him.

The court's opinion, written by Justice Randy Holland, with jus Du Pont 1902-1980 ninth street book shop 110 9th Wllm 652-3315 Thursday, Dec. 1, 1988 If ik If, HI AO xdfS- Record Births 4" A i jvjv a fX a -ii x' lxG I rtltllil If 1' -IVk 0 On. 6 Jc Mlfal'0tsI," (XA1 XA' 4 Vk.V 0 0 A villi mm i vj mt a pt ix- a i itw uriii' nti aih hv i nurv Christiana Hospital BELL Margaret and William, 8 Rodgers Circle, Taylortowne, Nov. 29, son. BOOTHE Lisa and David, 4613 Little Rock Drive, Rockwoods, Nov.

30, daughter. BURNETT Angela, 312 E. 22nd Nov. 30, daughter. CASTIGLIONE Denise and Robert, 8 Oriental Pennsville, N.J., Nov.

30, son. CLINE Pamela and Robert, 56 Taylor Richardson Park, Nov. 29, son. FEELEY Barbara and James, 10 Cynthia Road, Glendale, Nov. 29, son.

HALLIYA Hema and Arvlnd, 5 Donegal Court, Newark, Nov. 29, daughter. HARSHA Karen and David, 4905 Clarmont Court, Birch Point, Nov. 29, daughter. JOHNSON Jeanette and Robin, 18 Scottfield Drive, Scottfield, Nov.

29, son. JOHNSON Latisha, 1214 Westlawn Court, Edgemoor Gardens, Nov. 29, son. JOHNSON Marylee and Raymond 763 Hilltop Road, Elkton, Md Nov. 29, daughter.

KITCHEN Cheryl and Jeffrey, 150 Belemont Drive, Limestone Hills, Nov. 22, daughter. LAUDENSLAGER Patricia and John, 464 Kemper Drive, Brookmont Farms, Nov. 29, daughter. LITWA Karen and Daniel, 700 Mill Creek Court, Bear, Nov.

30, son. McCOOL Docia and William 5745 Telegraph Road, Elkton, Md Nov. 29, son. McFOY Brenda and John, 29 Courtland Circle, Bear, Nov. 29, daughter.

MILLER Ladonna and Kerry, 20 Fox Run Drive, Elkton, Nov. 30, son. OMAN Mary Jean and Philip, 117 South Road, Lindemere, Nov. 29, son. PERRETA Maria and George, 118 Rose Circle, Roseville Park, Nov.

29, daughter. PORTER Kelly and William, 15 Lindberg Silview, Nov. 30, son. SEWITSKY Jeri and Robert, 36 Memorial Drive, Garfield Park, Nov. 29, daughter.

SHERMAN Marilyn and Michael, 3 White Drive, Salem Woods, Nov. 30, son. SHIEH Hsio-hwai and Yeong, 1 Hawkins Court, Bear, Nov. 29, daughter. TAPPAN Deborah and Robert, Ellendale, Nov.

29, son. TROUTMAN Christ! and Kerry, 51 Currant Drive, Summer Hill, Nov. 29, daughter. WARGO Colleen and Michael, 321-1 Harbor Drive, Harbor House Apartments, Nov. 29, son.

WELLS Susan and Harry, 2 Randle Court, New Nov. 29, son. WHITE Denise and Robert, 125 Hunn Road, Manor Park, Nov. 29, daughter. St.

Francis GRAVATT Gail and Eugene, 3906 Old Capitol Trail, Nov. 28, son. KEICHLINE Lisa and John, New Castle, Nov. 27, son. PERIGO Barbara and Nick, 114 Meredith Kennett Square, Nov.

28, daughter. PHIPPS Donna and Richard, 972 Lower Hopewell Road, Oxford, Nov. 28, son. WILMORE Keisha, 404 N. Clayton Nov.

28. daughter. Nanticoke, Sealord BEACH Julia and Harold, Delmar, Nov. 29, daughter. PALMER Susan and Bruce Blades, Nov.

29, daughter. Peninsula, Salisbury TRIBBITT Rhonda and Ray, Dagsboro, Nov. 29, son. Milford Memorial SEELY Lynnette and William, Greenwood, Nov. 29, daughter.

VICENTE Daeanna and Jose, Dover, Nov. 29, son. Marriage licenses New Castle County James Robertson, New Castle, and Sheila M. Spence, Bear. Curtis L.

Burnett, New Castle, and Linda M. Spencer, Bear. Edward L. Hanna III, Newark, and Lorl A. Scar-tine, Newark.

Gale E. Marvin, Bear and Norma J. Morrow, Bear. Ronald A. Hamlen, Elkton, and Sue D.

Fuhr-mann, Elkton, Md. Kenny L. Thacker, Townsend, and Dolores M. Gerritse, Townsend. Larry J.

Hummel Townsend, and Christine L. Slacum, Townsend. Brett J. Albracht, New Castle, and Tracy L. Ven-nell, New Castle.

Richard F. Jones III, Wilmington, and Kelly L. Mitchell, Wilmington. Kent County Robert C. McKinnev, Sacramento, and Laurie Lewis, Dover.

Thomas P. -Davis, Hudson Falls, N.Y., and Mary F. Rigsby, Dover. Edward C. Brltton, Eatontown, N.Y., and Dornase A.

Eubanks, Eatontown, Y. Carl M. Wingo Milford, and Davette A. Tucker, Milford. Alexander J.

Philip Jr Melborne, and Cinnamon S. Hackett, Wister, Okla. Dewey R. Lavender Townsend, and Marguerite A. Doty, Townsend.

Larry E. Cohen, Chicago, and Patricia A. Brown, Dover. Timothy E. Sampson, Dover, and Sandra F.

Hurst, Dover. Francis P. McGinnes, Smyrna, and Donna L. Heverin, Smyrna. Henry A.

Stevenson Greenwood, and Susan A. M. Dawson, Denton, Md. Warren R. Heverin, Magnolia, and Becky L.

Bradley, Magnolia. Mark S. Wessell, Townsend, and Linda A. Donovan, Townsend. Richard R.

Pease Claylon, and Renee A. Carmisciano, Clayton. Joseph W. Shelton, Middletown, and Linda L. Lloyd, Odessa.

Stepehn L. Rubin, Dover, and Judith A. M. Below, Dover Anthony B. Glenn, Wilmington, and Louise A.

Leonard, Hockessin. Vaughn K. Lauer, Dover, and Alyce K. Hearn, Dover. Victor A.

Summers, Dover, and Marion A. Johnson, Dover. Sussex County Phillip Crouch, Laurel, and Brenda Millman, Millsboro. Gary Culver, Laurel, and Shelley Wilkinson, Laurel. Paul Clifford, Enfield, and Ethel Paulyne Tunnell, Watertown, Mass.

Kevin DeLong, Georgetown, and Cheryl Poswin-ski, Georgetown. Ralph Givens Laurel, and Susan Kernodle, Laurel. Dennard Quillen III, Rehoboth, and Julia Temple, Rehoboth. John Edwards, Frankford, and Klmberly Walker, Ocean City, Md. Tony Wells, Seaford, and Melva Herring, Ellen-dale.

Jason Jordan, Dagsboro, and Melissa Melson, Dagsboro. Edward Barton, College Park, and Deonne Clark, College Park, Md. William Ellsworth IV, Georgetown, and Sharon Hastings, Laurel. Harry Bonk, Rehoboth, and Cynthia Rader, Rehoboth. Gary Horseman Delmar, and Anita Reszutek, Delmar.

Harry Lewis, Milton, and Terri LeGates, Lewes. Howard Brand Lewes, and Wanda Traynor, Lewes. Soudanl Alexis, Georgetown, and Marie Benoit, Georgetown. David Hays, Lincoln, and Michelle Flynn, Georgetown. Dale Magee, Milton, and Jill Hudson, Milton.

Timothy Dorev, Millsboro, and Kim Lewis, Millsboro. Miguel Campos, Milford, and Julia Sanchez, Georgetown. John Edmonds, Millsboro, and Lisa Belancin, Millsboro. Wayne Head, Rehoboth, and Susan Weaver, xx 'l I tits wx till tii- -l" Vw1 A'tW sV? A 1 Q.Y A tKS xCSx. iVLXX'f 1 I VX W' -rKVUV" WV-' itl 1.