Closing arguments in trial of Las Vegas Democratic politician accused of murdering journalist
Closing arguments are made in the trial of a Las Vegas Democratic politician accused of murdering an investigative journalist. (Credit: The Associated Press)
A former Las Vegas-area Democratic politician convicted of killing an investigative journalist who had written critical stories about him was told by a judge Wednesday that he must spend at least 28 years behind bars before he is eligible for parole.
The judge invoked sentencing enhancements to add eight years to the minimum 20 years to life sentence that a jury set in August after finding Robert Telles guilty of killing Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German outside German’s home during Labor Day weekend in 2022.
German, 69, spent 44 years covering crime, courts and corruption in Las Vegas. At the time of German's death, Telles, 47, was the elected administrator of a Clark County office that handles unclaimed estate and probate property cases.
"We lost a brother, we lost an uncle, a friend, a leader. We are still in shock and it’s been two years. It’s going to take a long time to recover from this," German's brother Jay told the courtroom just prior to Telles' sentencing. "We have a lot of anxiety about the future safety of our family... if Robert Telles were to be released after just 20 years' incarceration."
TELLES’ OWN TESTIMONY UNDERMINED HIS DEFENSE IN JOURNALIST’S MURDER CASE, JUROR SAYS
Robert Telles delivers a statement during his sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 16. (KVVU)
Telles, who also spoke Wednesday, denied any responsibility for German's death.
"The family has my deepest condolences, Mr. German was very impactful in the community, he made a difference, and we know from testimony by the family that he was a good brother and a good uncle. And I understand the desire to seek justice and have somebody accountable for this," Telles said. "But I did not kill Mr. German. And unfortunately the people who should be held responsible, who should be brought to justice, the chances of that happening now -- right this minute -- are slim to none. That said, again my deepest sympathies to the family and I wish them well as they navigate the rest of this tragedy."
Telles lost his primary for a second term in office after German’s stories in May and June 2022 described turmoil at the Clark County Public Administrator/Guardian office.
Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, right, talks to Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German in his Las Vegas office on May 11, 2022. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)
In one of them, German wrote that "a half-dozen current and former employees interviewed by the Review-Journal are alleging the hostile work environment was fueled by the elected administrator of the office, Robert Telles, carrying on an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a staffer that has harmed the office’s ability to deal with the public in overseeing the estates of those who have died."
Prosecutor Christopher Hamner said during closing arguments of the murder trial that German wasn’t finished in his work of exposing Telles, which ultimately led the politician to taking out the veteran journalist.
"And he did it because Jeff wasn’t done writing," Hamner said. "It’s like connecting the dots. He murdered him because Jeff's writing destroyed his career. It destroyed his reputation. It threatened probably his marriage. Exposed things that even he admitted he did not want the public to know."
TELLES HAD HUNDREDS OF PHOTOS OF GERMAN’S HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD, JURY IS TOLD
Prosecutor Christopher Hamner, top right, said during the trial that Telles, left, murdered German "because Jeff's writing destroyed his career." (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal, Pool, main and top right, Elizabeth Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal via Getty.)
Telles testified for several hours at his trial, admitting for the first time that reports of the office romance were true, according to The Associated Press. He denied killing German and said he was "framed" by a broad conspiracy involving a real estate company, police, DNA analysts, former co-workers and others. He also told the jury he was victimized for crusading to root out corruption.
However, the evidence included Telles’ DNA being found beneath German’s fingernails.
German was found slashed and stabbed to death in a side yard outside his home, where Telles is accused in a criminal complaint of "lying in wait" for German to come outside.
Robert Telles listens to closing arguments during his murder trial at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, on Aug. 26. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal/AP)
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Telles’ attorney, Robert Draskovich, has said Telles intends to appeal his conviction.
Fox News’ Michael Dorgan and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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