The trial of a Dem politician accused of killing a Las Vegas investigative journalist concludes with closing arguments.
Throughout the trial, Robert Telles has consistently claimed his innocence, asserting that he was falsely accused.
The trial of a Las Vegas Democratic politician accused of murdering an investigative journalist who was writing critical articles about the official has commenced with jury deliberations.
On trial for killing Jeff German in 2022, Robert Telles, 47, faced a tough round of questioning during cross-examinations on Thursday, when prosecutor Pamela Weckerly presented him with a surprise text message sent from his wife that had vanished from his phone.
Telles consistently claimed his innocence during his testimony, asserting that various individuals, including office colleagues, real estate agents, business owners, and police, had attempted to falsely accuse him of murdering German in retaliation for his efforts to expose corruption as head of an obscure office responsible for managing unclaimed estates.
"Telles stated that he is not the type of person who would stab someone and that he did not kill Mr. German. He added that this is his testimony."
Telles lost his Democratic primary for a second term after German's first series of stories in May 2022, which exposed turmoil, bullying, and an affair between Telles and a female employee in his workplace.
The day before German was murdered, Telles discovered that Clark County officials planned to release email and text messages exchanged between Telles and the woman, in response to a reporter's request for public records.
Prosecutor Pamela Weckerly stated that the murder occurred 15 hours after the maroon SUV of Telles left the neighborhood near his home at around 9 a.m. on Sept. 2, 2022, and drove on streets near German's home a short time later.
A person wearing a bright orange outfit similar to one seen in a photo of someone approaching German's home was seen driving an SUV.
Weckerly replayed a video from a neighbor's home, showing German's garage door rise and him being attacked in the side yard.
Two minutes later, an orange-clad individual appears and strolls down the sidewalk. German remains absent.
The prosecutor argued that the evidence demonstrated the murder was premeditated, willful, and deliberate, even though they did not possess the murder weapon.
The next day, German's body was discovered, and Telles' DNA was found under German's fingernails. When questioned about the DNA, Telles stated that he believed it had been planted.
The jury discovered cut-up pieces of a broad straw hat and a gray athletic shoe at Telles' residence that resembled those worn by the person in the orange shirt, which was never located.
Draskovich informed the jury during his closing arguments that they were the only ones to determine the facts, before the panel was reduced to 12 members and they began deliberating at 2 p.m. to decide if Telles was guilty of murdering a German.
On Friday, the day German would have turned 71, Telles testified about his experiences covering crime, courts, and corruption in Las Vegas for 44 years.
Telles, a former civil lawyer, was elected in 2018 but had his law license suspended after his arrest several days after German's death. If found guilty, he could face up to life in prison.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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