LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Closing arguments are expected Monday in the trial of an ex-politician accused of killing a Las Vegas investigative reporter in 2022.
On Friday, defense attorneys representing Robert Telles, the former Clark County Public Administrator accused of killing Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German, rested their case. The move came on day 10 of the high-profile trial that saw the ex-politician take the stand in his own defense, initially telling his own story by narrative, a practice that 8 News Now Investigators sources said could occur when a defense attorney feels uncomfortable or concerned about that defendant’s testimony.
Upon cross-examination of Telles, prosecuting attorney Chris Hamner interrogated the former Public Administrator, calling into question Telles’ belief of a vast conspiracy orchestrated by several Public Administrator’s office officials, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detectives, officers, and even officials from LVMPD’s DNA lab, alongside individuals from a local real estate company. At the conclusion of the trial’s ninth day, Hamner dropped a piece of blockbuster evidence: an image of a message not present on either Telles’ phone or his wife’s phone but that was present on Telles’ wife’s Apple Watch. The message appeared to have been sent at the time of German’s murder from Telles’ wife to Telles, asking, “Where are you?”
The court reconvened at 10:15 a.m. with Judge Michelle Leavitt delivering instructions to the jury; the guidance jurors will use regarding deliberation. Because of Jeff German’s age, being that he was over 60 at the time of his death, the charge holds an enhancement of one to 20 years on top of the murder charge should Telles be found guilty.
The jury was told they must be unanimous in their conviction of first or second-degree murder. They were also told not to be influenced by or consider the conviction penalty, although they will choose Telles’ penalty should they convict him. Judge Leavitt advised that all evidence, both direct and circumstantial, should be considered.
At 10:30 a.m., the prosecution began their closing arguments. State attorney Pam Weckerly began by recounting Jeff German’s articles and their effect on Robert Telles, leading to him losing his reelection bid for Public Administrator in Clark County. Displaying text messages, Weckerly read that Telles was “distraught” about German “adding to the pressure” of his life.
“The reality is he lost that primary election after those articles were written and he attributed it the articles written by Jeff German,” Weckerly said.
She read messages where Telles said he “hate[d] them and what they did,” and expressed his concern about another article being produced.
Weckerly recounded the timeline leading up to German’s stabbing death. On July 22, 2022, German sent a public records request for Microsoft Teams messages between Roberta Lee-Kennet. On Aug. 8, Telles learned of the request. On Aug. 12, Google Maps images of German’s neighborhood begin appearing on Telles’ phone. Three days later, screenshots of vehicles taken near German’s neighborhood appeared on the device. On Sept. 2, the day of German’s killing, Telles left his residence at 9:12 a.m. Weckerly said that Telles arrived in German’s neighborhood at 10:26 a.m., proceeded on foot to German’s home. German was killed around 11:18 a.m. During that time a message from Telles’ wife asking “where are you” was found on her Apple Watch.
Weckerly then said Telles was back in his own neighborhood by 11:51 a.m., got in a different car and went to the gym by 12:09 p.m.
She recounted via text messages that Roberta Lee-Kennett was concerned about the similarity between Telles’ SUV and the suspect’s as shown in police-released images. Weckerly then goes over the definition of first degree murder, showing how German’s killing met those requirements, including that of premeditiation.
Who is Robert Telles?
Robert Telles is a lawyer and former public official with Clark County. According to the county, Telles has lived in the area for at least 20 years. He was the focus of several investigative stories by Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German.
Telles graduated from UNLV’s Boyd School of Law in 2014. One year later he founded Accolade Law, which was located on West Charleston Boulevard between Rancho Drive and Valley View Boulevard and focused on estate planning and probate.
In 2018, Telles first ran for Clark County public administrator as a Democrat. He claimed victory over Republican candidate Thomas Fougere and took office in January 2019 to serve a four-year term, which ended on Jan. 2, 2023. Telles ran for re-election, losing to fellow Democrat Rita Reid.
His campaign was mired in controversy surrounding stories written by the Review-Journal, specifically German, who uncovered claims of bullying and retaliation within his office.
Who was Jeff German?
Jeff German had been an investigative reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal since 2010 after more than two decades at the Las Vegas Sun, where he was a columnist and reporter who covered courts, politics, labor, government, and organized crime.
Glenn Cook, the Review-Journal’s executive editor, said German was known to break big stories and develop “impactful investigations across every part of Southern Nevada life.”
German had published several stories about Telles’ office, saying it was in “turmoil” in the months leading up to his stabbing death on Labor Day weekend of 2022. German was found with seven stab wounds, including ones to his neck and torso, according to police documents.
