Former Nevada politician Robert Telles was convicted of murdering Las Vegas journalist Jeff German, who had published several articles accusing Telles of workplace harassment and misconduct. Las Vegas Review-Journal exhibitions.
Telles was convicted of first-degree murder, with the jury ruling that the German's killing was “willful, deliberate and premeditated.” Telles, who once served as Clark County's public administrator, faces up to life in prison, with the penalty phase of his trial beginning today, August 28. An attorney for Telles did not immediately return a call Rolling Stonehis request for comment.
Prosecutors accused Telles of “lurking” in the bushes outside Germanos' home and then stabbing him to death in September 2022. The killing, prosecutors said, was in retaliation for articles Germanos had written. Review-Journalwhich contained accusations that Telles had created a toxic work environment and had an “inappropriate relationship” with an employee (Telles denied these allegations). Shortly after Germanos' articles were published, Telles lost his bid for re-election.
During the two-week trial, the prosecution bolstered this chilling narrative of retribution with a variety of evidence. They said DNA found under Germano's fingernails matched that of Telles. they said they spotted a wide-brimmed straw hat, sneakers and a gray bag at Telles' home that matched items seen on the shooter in surveillance video. and they said surveillance footage appeared to show Telles' car driving around Germano's neighborhood the morning Germano was killed before returning to Telles' neighborhood.
In response, Telles and his attorney, Robert Draskovic, tried to claim that the former public administrator was being framed. Telles even testified on his own behalf, saying he was being framed by officials and a real estate company he was supposedly investigating during his time as public trustee (the company denied the charge).
After the verdict, Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook said, “Today a Clark County jury delivered a measure of justice for Jeff German, and we hope it will bring some comfort to his family, friends and co-workers. Jeff was killed for doing the kind of job he was most proud of: His report held an elected official accountable for misconduct and empowered voters to choose someone else for the job. Robert Telles could have joined the long line of publicly disgraced Nevada politicians who have moved on with their lives, out of the spotlight or back into it. Instead, he carried out a premeditated revenge killing of terrifying ferocity.”
The German was widely respected for his decades of dogged reporting on both Review-Journal and the other major local newspaper, the Las Vegas Sun. “He was the most tenacious reporter I've ever dealt with and he wouldn't take a simple platitude for an answer,” said former Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Rumboltz. Rolling Stone in 2022. “He also wouldn't take no for an answer or no comment. He found more ways to ask the same question from different angles to try to get at what he was interested in than any reporter I've ever dealt with. He was amazing that way.”
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