(NEW YORK) — The murder trial against Robert Telles — the former Clark County public administrator accused of killing journalist Jeff German in September 2022 — began with opening statements on Wednesday.
Telles, 47, has been accused of stabbing the Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter to death outside his home after an investigation into corruption in his office destroyed his political career and marriage. German’s story detailed the alleged hostile work environment in Telles’ office, which included accusations of bullying, retaliation, and an “inappropriate relationship” between Telles and a staffer. Telles denied the allegations.
In her opening statement Wednesday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly walked through the timeline of the murder and how Telles came to be pinpointed as the suspect.
“In the end, this case isn’t about politics,” Weckerly said. “It’s not about alleged inappropriate relationships. It’s not about who’s a good boss or who’s a good supervisor or favoritism at work — it’s just about murder.”
Telles was arrested days after German was found dead outside his Las Vegas home. DNA evidence found in Telles’ home tied him to the crime scene, according to police, and a straw hat and sneakers — which the suspect was seen wearing in surveillance video — were found cut up in his home.
His DNA was also found on German’s hands and fingernails, police said.
Police took Telles into custody with what they said were non-life-threatening, self-inflicted stab wounds.
Telles’ attorney, Robert Draskovich, defended his client in his opening statement, suggesting he was framed for German’s death.
Draskovich said the “old guard” in the public administrator’s office was upset by Telles’ efforts to root out and eliminate internal corruption.
He also claimed that, due to German’s track record of reporting on corrupt figures, other people may have wanted him dead.
“There were others that had far more motive to make it look like [Telles] was the killer, and to conduct this killing because Jeff German was a good reporter — he would ultimately get to what the truth was,” Draskovich said.
Draskovich suggested Telles should be presumed innocent due to a lack of DNA evidence found in his car and on his clothing, and said police “never positively identified” a car present at the crime scene — which matched a description of Telles’ car — as his.
He also emphasized that Telles’ cellphone was not detected in the area at the time of the murder. Police have said they believe Telles left his phone at home during the alleged murder.
His suicide attempt, Draskovich contended, was not out of guilt, but because his “life was coming apart.”
Draskovich praised Telles, detailing his career and describing him as a “loving father and husband.”
“He’s a family man,” the defense attorney said.
Testimony in the case against Telles is now underway, and Draskovich has said Telles will testify during the trial.
Telles has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and could face life in prison if convicted.
German was the only journalist killed in the United States in 2022, with a total of at least 67 journalists killed worldwide that year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo previously described the case against Telles as “unusual,” and said that “the killing of a journalist is particularly troublesome.”
“It is troublesome because it is a journalist. And we expect journalism to be open and transparent and the watchdog for government,” Lombardo said. “And when people take it upon themselves to create harm associated with that profession, I think it’s very important we put all eyes on and address the case appropriately such as we did in this case.”
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