Robert Telles, a politician from Dem Vegas, had his own testimony backfire on him in the murder case of a journalist, according to a juror.
In September 2022, a Nevada jury convicted Telles of murdering Las Vegas journalist Jeff German.
Last Wednesday, former Democratic politician Robert Telles was convicted of murdering Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German. Despite his testimony that he was framed in a broad conspiracy, the jury foreman stated that he was found guilty.
Telles, 47, was given a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 20 years for stabbing German to death on Sept. 2, 2022 due to his anger over the journalist's critical reporting. German had written stories about the Democrat's workplace conduct, including allegations of an inappropriate romantic relationship with a female coworker, in the months leading up to his death.
Telles accused law enforcement and his political opponents of framing him in the 69-year-old German's murder in order to imprison him.
"Gregory Whitney, the jury foreman, admitted on Monday that when he returned to the scene, he felt both strong and guilty at the start because he couldn't locate the evidence the defendant desired."
The jury, consisting of Whitney and 11 others, spent nearly three days reviewing testimony from approximately 30 witnesses and 400 pieces of evidence, which included photos, videos, and police reports.
"Whitney stated, "We wanted to inform everyone about what we did, thoroughly reviewing from Point A to Point B, in order to give him the best possible shot. Personally, I had no knowledge about the individual, so I had no bias.""
Telles' guilt was not immediately clear to all jurors, with one juror, Whitney, initially unsure due to the numerous small mistakes made.
"Whitney stated, "The evidence photos I saw will remain with me because they are not typical. This case was so unusual that it was hard to believe it was real.""
On Aug. 22, Telles declared his innocence unequivocally while testifying through narration instead of a standard question-and-answer format.
"Telles stated that he did not kill Mr. German. He emphasized that he has the right to express his opinions and it is up to the listener to decide whether or not they agree with them. He hoped that he would not be stopped from sharing his thoughts."
Robert Draskovich, his attorney, advised Telles not to take the stand and risk prosecutor questioning, as previously reported by Planet Chronicle Digital. Draskovich could not be reached for comment on the verdict or jury foreman's remarks.
Telles contended that the manner in which German was killed suggested the actions of someone with expertise.
"Telles stated that he does not believe anyone can commit such a violent act without proper training. He believes that he was framed for the murder and that it was related to his work against Compass Realty."
Planet Chronicle Digital could not immediately reach Compass Realty for comment.
During Telles' testimony, his family appeared perplexed while jurors meticulously recorded their observations. Occasionally, exhibits were not prepared for Telles to present to the jury, prompting the judge to instruct Telles to proceed, despite Telles contending that the jury required viewing the evidence.
Telles will receive additional sentencing for using a deadly weapon and targeting an older victim.
Planet Chronicle Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
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