{"id":2329475,"date":"2024-08-22T19:05:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T23:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/las-vegas-politician-accused-of-killing-investigative-reporter-takes-the-stand-in-his-own-defense-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-22T19:09:14","modified_gmt":"2024-08-22T23:09:14","slug":"las-vegas-politician-accused-of-killing-investigative-reporter-takes-the-stand-in-his-own-defense-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/las-vegas-politician-accused-of-killing-investigative-reporter-takes-the-stand-in-his-own-defense-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Las Vegas politician accused of killing investigative reporter takes the stand in his own defense &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flas-vegas-politician-accused-of-killing-investigative-reporter-takes-the-stand-in-his-own-defense-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2329475&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A former Democratic politician from the Las Vegas area, Robert \u200dTelles, is currently on trial for the murder of\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/revealed-former-kemp-staffer-helped-dominion-land-107-million-contract-with-georgia-quite-the-deal\/\" title=\"Revealed: Former Kemp Staffer Helped Dominion Land 7 Million Contract with Georgia \u2013QUITE the Deal!\">investigative reporter<\/a> Jeff German, who\u2063 was \u2063killed\u200d in September 2022. Telles, who\u200d served as Clark County&#8217;s administrator of unclaimed estates, lost his job following critical\u2062 articles\u2063 written \u200cby German. These reports highlighted Telles&#8217; alleged inappropriate conduct and the chaos within his\u2064 office. German was found \u200bstabbed \u2062to death outside his \u2064home during Labor Day weekend. Prosecutors assert that Telles was motivated to kill German due to the uncomfortable allegations made against him. During the trial, Telles, who maintains his innocence, insisted on testifying despite his attorneys advising against it. He\u2064 faces a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/paul-pelosi-attackers-prison-sentence-is-in-limbo-after-judges-error\/\" title=\"Paul Pelosi Attacker&#039;s Prison Term Uncertain Due to Judge&#039;s Mistake\">potential\u2062 life sentence<\/a> if convicted. The trial continues as the jury hears evidence from \u200bboth sides.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Las Vegas politician accused of killing investigative reporter takes the stand in his own defense<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1717327\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/las-vegas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Las Vegas<\/a>-area Democratic politician took the witness stand as he faces charges for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/crime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>stabbing<\/a> an investigative reporter to death in 2022.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Robert Telles lost his job as Clark County&rsquo;s administrator of unclaimed estates in May 2022 after losing his Democratic primary. His defeat came after Jeff German wrote several articles <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewjournal.com\/investigations\/county-office-in-turmoil-with-secret-video-and-claims-of-bullying-hostility-2577147\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>critical<\/a> of him for the <em>Las Vegas Review-Journal<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>German was found stabbed to death outside of his home on Labor Day weekend in 2022. The 69-year-old had authored multiple stories claiming Telles was conducting an inappropriate affair with a female co-worker and that his office was in turmoil. Telles was arrested several days after German&rsquo;s death. <\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, prosecutors argued the reporter&rsquo;s uncomfortable allegations motivated Telles to kill him.<\/p>\n<p>Telles, 47, made his defense to a jury of 12 on Wednesday, saying, &ldquo;Unequivocally I&rsquo;m innocent.&rdquo; His attorneys said they advised him not to testify, but he insisted on doing so.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Robert Telles speaks to the jury from the witness stand on the eighth day of his murder trial at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (K.M. Cannon\/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The former county official, whose license to practice law was suspended after he was arrested, provided a 90-minute testimony in court as he fights to stave off a conviction. If found guilty, he faces life in prison.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors have said they found Telles&rsquo;s DNA under the reporter&rsquo;s fingernails and that he has family ties to a maroon SUV seen near German&rsquo;s home around the time of the killing. The former official also allegedly had hundreds of photos of German&rsquo;s home on his cellphone and computer, as well as his identity records.<\/p>\n<p>A cellphone data expert who was testifying in Telles&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-villanova-football-player-found-not-guilty-of-attempted-sexual-assault\/\" title=\"Ex-Villanova Football Player Acquitted of Attempted Sexual Assault\">defense provided evidence<\/a> that could be damning to the ex-lawyer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Robert Aguero, a cellphone data expert testifying in Telles&rsquo;s defense, told the court there was no outgoing activity from Telles&rsquo;s cellphone despite data showing he received numerous voice, text, and data messages during the period when German was killed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Just to be clear, if we look at his phone, from 8:48 to 2:05, there&rsquo;s nothing outgoing from Mr. Telles&rsquo;s phone on the day that Mr. German is murdered, isn&rsquo;t that correct?&rdquo; prosecutor Christopher Hamner questioned.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s correct,&rdquo; Aguero replied. Prosecutors believe Telles left his cellphone at home the day he allegedly left to murder German.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1717327\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1717327\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A former Democratic politician from the Las Vegas area, Robert Telles, testified in his own defense as he faces charges for the 2022 stabbing death of investigative reporter Jeff German. Telles was dismissed from his position as Clark County&#8217;s administrator of unclaimed estates in May 2022 following a defeat in the Democratic primary, which came after German published several critical articles about him in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. German was discovered stabbed to death outside his home during Labor Day weekend in 2022; he had written multiple pieces alleging that Telles was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a female colleague and that there were issues within his office. Telles was arrested shortly after German&#8217;s murder.<\/p>\n<p>During Wednesday&#8217;s proceedings, prosecutors contended that the uncomfortable allegations made by German drove Telles to commit murder. The 47-year-old maintained his innocence while addressing a jury of twelve, stating emphatically, &#8220;Unequivocally I\u2019m innocent.&#8221; Although his attorneys advised against him testifying, he chose to do so anyway. <\/p>\n<p>Telles provided a lengthy 90-minute testimony as he seeks to avoid conviction and potentially life imprisonment if found guilty. Prosecutors presented evidence including DNA belonging to Telles found under German\u2019s fingernails and familial connections to a maroon SUV spotted near the crime scene around the time of the murder. Additionally, it was revealed that Telles had numerous photos of German\u2019s residence on both his cellphone and computer.<\/p>\n<p>In an interesting turn during testimony for Telles&#8217; defense, cellphone data expert Robert Aguero indicated that there were no outgoing communications from Telles\u2019 phone during crucial hours on the day of German\u2019s murder despite receiving various messages at that time. When questioned by prosecutor Christopher Hamner about this lack of outgoing activity between specific times on that day, Aguero confirmed it was accurate. Prosecutors suspect that Telles may have left his phone at home when he allegedly went out to kill German<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2329476,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Telles.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[39008,32111,7562,4853,32076],"class_list":["post-2329475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-investigative-reporter","tag-las-vegas","tag-politician","tag-trial","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Telles.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2329475","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2329475"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2329475\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2329476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2329475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2329475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2329475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}