The Judge Who Will Decide the Fate of Atlantic City Mayor & Wife

Bernard DeLury is the New Jersey Superior Court Judge who will decide the fate of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small and his wife, La’Quetta Small, who is the Atlantic City Superintendent of Public Schools.

DeLury is the Presiding Judge of the Atlantic and Cape May County Superior Court of New Jersey.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office previously announced the following disturbing allegations about Marty and La’Quetta Small:

On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, Marty Small, Sr., 50, and his wife, La Quetta Small, 47, of Atlantic City, NJ were both indicted for second-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Marty Small, Sr. was also indicted for third-degree Terroristic Threats, and third-degree Aggravated Assault. It is alleged that during the months of December 2023 and January 2024, the defendants physically and emotionally abused their 15/16-year-old-daughter on multiple occasions. During one incident, on January 13, 2024, Marty Small, Sr. is alleged to have hit his daughter multiple times in the head with a broom causing her to lose consciousness.

Marty Small was separately indicted for witness tampering by a second Atlantic County jury.

These will likely be the last two trials of DeLury’s storied career on the bench and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The criminal charges against Marty and La’Quetta Small are highly disturbing in nature.

DeLury is the perfect judge to handle these high profile criminal trials.

For example, DeLury expertly managed the Dr. James Kauffman case back in 2017. Proper disposition regarding Kauffman was never established … as Kauffmann committed suicide in prison … regarding the case involving the murder of his wife, April Kauffman.

DeLury successfully navigated all of the pre-trial and trial activities, including a detention hearing for Kauffman and other associated legal matters.

DeLury’s background is remarkable, having served active duty in the United States Navy as a judge advocate. His assignments included: defense counsel, prosecutor and staff judge advocate.
Judge DeLury was recalled to active duty in 2004 and in 2007 DeLury was appointed as a tribunal president and member to determine the combatant status of Taliban and al Qaida detainees, including 14 High Value Detainees, that were held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba prisoner detention facility.

About this, Judge DeLury said, "There's no greater advocate for peace than those who are called upon to keep it, even at the cost of life and limb," said DeLury.

When the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office previously honored DeLury, they wrote the following:

In 2005, the Judge Advocate General of the Navy appointed Judge DeLury an appellate military judge of the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals in Washington, D.C. Judge DeLury retired from the military bench and the Navy in 2011 with the grade of Captain after 25 years of service. His honors and awards include the Legion of Merit, the Department of Defense Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4 gold stars), Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre and other personal and service awards and decorations. Judge DeLury currently oversees Atlantic County's Veterans Diversion Program which provides veterans facing criminal charges with the opportunity to be diverted from prosecution.

DeLury is the right man, at the right time to handle these high profile, politically charged Small trials, along with the Constance Days-Chapman criminal matter, which is also taking place at the same time.

Here are photos of DeLury, Marty and La’Quetta Small and exclusive photos of Dr. James Kauffman.