LAS VEGAS — A former Nevada politician was sentenced to life in jail after being discovered responsible on Wednesday of killing journalist Jeff German in September 2022.
Because the jury’s foreperson learn out the responsible verdict, former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles appeared down and shook his head.
Telles was sentenced to life in jail with eligibility for parole after a minimal of 20 years served.
In a press convention after the decision was introduced, Clark County District Legal professional Steven Wolfson thanked the jury for his or her work on the case.
“Right now’s verdict ought to ship a message, and that message is a transparent message that any makes an attempt to silence the media, or to silence or intimidate a journalist, is not going to be tolerated,” Wolfson mentioned.
Prosecutors mentioned former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles, 47, stabbed the Las Vegas Assessment-Journal reporter to dying after German uncovered corruption in his workplace, destroying each his political profession and his marriage. German’s story detailed an allegedly hostile work surroundings in Telles’ workplace — together with bullying, retaliation and an “inappropriate relationship” between Telles and a staffer — all of which Telles denied.
Telles was arrested days after German was discovered lifeless exterior his Las Vegas residence. Police mentioned DNA proof present in Telles’ residence tied him to the crime scene, and a straw hat and sneakers — which the suspect was seen carrying in surveillance footage — have been discovered reduce up in his residence. His DNA was additionally discovered on German’s palms and fingernails, police mentioned.
He had pleaded not responsible to homicide.
In her opening assertion, Chief Deputy District Legal professional Pamela Weckerly walked by the timeline of the homicide and the way Telles got here to be pinpointed because the suspect.
“Ultimately, this case is not about politics,” Weckerly mentioned. “It is not about alleged inappropriate relationships. It is not about who’s an excellent boss or who’s an excellent supervisor or favoritism at work — it is nearly homicide.”
Telles took the stand in his personal trial on Aug. 21, “unequivocally” sustaining his innocence and insisting he was “framed” in a sweeping conspiracy by an actual property firm that he mentioned he was investigating for alleged bribery.
“Anyone framed me for this, and I consider that it’s Compass Realty, and I consider it is for the work that I’ve performed towards them,” Telles informed the courtroom.
In a press release to the Las Vegas Assessment-Journal in January, Compass Realty proprietor Takumba Britt denied Telles’ conspiracy claims, calling him a “determined man who has been charged with violently murdering a beloved native journalist” who would “do and say something to flee answering for this cost.”
Wolfson additionally hit again towards Telles’ conspiracy claims after the jury introduced its verdict.
“There was no conspiracy,” Wolfson mentioned. “The one conspiracy was between him and his evil thoughts.”
When police took Telles into custody, he had what they mentioned have been non-life-threatening, self-inflicted stab wounds. His protection lawyer, Robert Draskovich, mentioned the suicide try was not out of guilt, however as a result of Telles’ “life was coming aside.”
Draskovich echoed Telles’ claims of a conspiracy towards him, saying in his opening assertion the “previous guard” within the public administrator’s workplace had been upset by Telles’ efforts to root out inside corruption. He additionally claimed that, due to German’s monitor document of investigating corrupt figures, there have been different individuals who could have needed him lifeless.
“There have been others that had much more motive to make it appear like [Telles] was the killer, and to conduct this killing as a result of Jeff German was an excellent reporter — he would finally get to what the reality was,” Draskovich mentioned.
Forward of sentencing on Wednesday, German’s three siblings addressed the courtroom, talking about what their oldest brother meant to them.
“Jeff was our chief — he was the older brother all of us leaned on,” his brother, Jay German, mentioned.
The siblings remembered him as a “great” uncle, a “fearless” journalist and a lover of soccer and sitcoms.
His sister, Jill Zwerg, who mentioned German was “like a second father,” recalled how he purchased an entire spherical of champagne for the bar when she informed me she’d gotten engaged.
“He is so deeply missed day by day,” Zwerg mentioned by tears.
Telles’ spouse and ex-wife additionally spoke, tearfully asking the jury to not sentence him to life in jail with out parole.
“I might love sooner or later to offer my youngsters the prospect to have their father again,” his spouse, Mary Ann Ismael, mentioned.
Telles wept as his mom, Rosalinda Anaya, took the stand.
“I settle for the decision, however should you may — please — give my son the prospect of parole,” Anaya mentioned. “His household continues to be very younger and I would really like for him to sometime be again with them once more.”
Earlier than sending the jury off to deliberate on sentencing, Draskovich urged jurors to not hand down a life sentence.
“Give him the chance — give his youngsters the chance — a long time from now, to have their father again,” Draskovich mentioned.
However prosecutors argued a life sentence — both with or with out parole — was mandatory in such a case. Clark County Chief Deputy District Legal professional Chris Hamner mentioned Telles “determined to be decide, jury, and actually executioner” of German “as a result of he merely wasn’t completely happy about what was being written about him.”
“When you concentrate on the state of affairs he was in, the world wasn’t going to finish. He merely misplaced an election,” Hamner mentioned. “The best way Robert Telles selected to deal with this was devastating, and it was his selection and his selection alone.”
German was the one journalist killed in america in 2022, with a complete of at the very least 67 journalists killed worldwide that yr, in accordance with the Committee to Defend Journalists.
Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo beforehand described the case towards Telles as “uncommon,” and mentioned that “the killing of a journalist is especially troublesome.”
“It’s troublesome as a result of it’s a journalist. And we anticipate journalism to be open and clear and the watchdog for presidency,” Lombardo mentioned. “And when individuals take it upon themselves to create hurt related to that occupation, I believe it is crucial we put all eyes on and tackle the case appropriately resembling we did on this case.”
In a press release printed by the paper, Las Vegas Assessment-Journal government editor Glenn Prepare dinner praised the decision “as a measure of justice” for German, in addition to for “slain journalists everywhere in the world.”
“Jeff was killed for doing the type of work through which he took nice delight: His reporting held an elected official accountable for unhealthy conduct and empowered voters to decide on another person for the job,” Prepare dinner wrote. “Robert Telles may have joined the lengthy line of publicly shamed Nevada politicians who’ve gone on with their lives, out of the highlight or again in it. As an alternative, he carried out a premeditated revenge killing with terrifying savagery.”
“Let’s additionally do not forget that this neighborhood has misplaced rather more than a trusted journalist,” Prepare dinner added. “Jeff was an excellent man who left behind a household who liked him and buddies who cherished him. His homicide stays an outrage. He’s missed.”
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.