A former Las Vegas Democratic baby-kisser on trial for allegedly killing a veteran investigative journalist who had written essential tales concerning the authentic, took the stand on Wednesday to present his facet of the tale and plead his innocence.
“Unequivocally I’m blameless,” Robert Telles, 47, declared from a Nevada witness field dealing with 12 jurors and two alternates.
Telles, a former Democratic Clark County administrator of estates, is charged with murdering Las Vegas Assessment-Magazine investigative journalist Jeff German in September 2022, simply months after German wrote unflattering articles about Telles and his place of business habits, together with allegations of an irrelevant courting with a feminine coworker.
German was once discovered slashed and stabbed to demise in a facet backyard outdoor his house, the place Telles is accused in a prison criticism of “mendacity in wait” for German to return outdoor.
JURY SELECTION BEGINS MONDAY FOR FORMER LAS VEGAS-AREA POLITICIAN ACCUSED OF KILLING INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST
Robert Telles at the witness stand, left, on Wednesday the place he denied killing journalist Jeff German; Leader Deputy District Lawyer Pamela Weckerly questions Las Vegas police Crime Scene Analyst Christie Baxter on proof on the trial, most sensible proper; and the Las Vegas strip. (Ok.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Assessment-Magazine by way of AP | Clive Mason – System 1/System 1 by way of Getty Pictures)
Telles faces existence in jail if he’s convicted and insists he has been framed through an actual property company for looking to combat corruption that he noticed in his place of work. He hasn’t ever accounted for what he was once doing that day and is predicted to renew offering testimony on Thursday.
“That is the day I’ve been looking forward to,” Telles mentioned after his lawyer gained permission from the trial pass judgement on to let Telles testify “by means of narration” as a substitute of a normal question-and-answer layout.
His lawyer, Robert Draskovich, then sat down. He had strongly instructed his consumer to not take the stand and chance wondering underneath oath from two prosecutors who rested their homicide case Monday after 4 days, 28 witnesses and loads of pages of pictures, police reviews and video proof that weigh closely in opposition to Telles.
“I didn’t kill Mr. German,” Telles mentioned. “Once I proportion an opinion with you, that’s my proper. And it’s your proper to make a decision whether or not or now not you consider my opinion or now not, whether or not you need to doubt my opinion or now not. I’m simply hoping that I’m now not stopped from sharing with you what I’ve to mention.”
“I’ve been sitting in a mobile for just about two years,” Telles advised jurors, including greater than as soon as that he was once “very apprehensive.”
German’s circle of relatives appeared confused every now and then whilst Telles was once at the stand,” Fox 5 reviews, whilst jurors may well be observed taking notes all the way through his testimony. Now and then, shows weren’t able for Telles to turn the jury. The pass judgement on advised the defendant to proceed on with out the ones shows introduced, in spite of Telles arguing that the jury had to see the ones shows.
Telles went on to inform the jury about his background, starting with highschool, how he turned into a attorney after a few unrelated jobs and the way he met his spouse. They’ve 3 youngsters in combination.
He mentioned the best way German was once killed was once indicative of somebody who knew what they have been doing.
Robert Telles, proper, talks to Assessment-Magazine reporter Jeff German in his Las Vegas place of work, on Might 11, 2022. (Ok.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Assessment-Magazine by way of AP, Record)
“The concept Mr. German’s throat was once slashed and his center was once stabbed I don’t know if anyone can do this with out coaching,” Telles mentioned. “Anyone framed me for this and I imagine it was once Compass Realty, and it associated with the paintings I’ve carried out in opposition to them.”
Fox Information Virtual has reached out to Compass Realty for remark.
An athletic membership supervisor testified that information confirmed Telles’ club was once used to test in at a Las Vegas location simply after midday the day German was once killed. However he additionally mentioned video of visitors arriving and departing at the moment was once not to be had.
Previous, a mobile phone knowledge knowledgeable attesting in Telles’ protection conceded all the way through wondering through a prosecutor that Telles’ telephone confirmed no outgoing task from 8:48 a.m. to two:05 p.m. that day – a duration wherein proof has proven German was once killed. Police and prosecutors have mentioned they believe Telles left his telephone at house.
NEVADA JUDGE POSTPONES TRIAL OF FORMER LAS VEGAS OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF KILLING JOURNALIST
Telles was once arrested days after German’s demise following police circulating video of an individual dressed in an orange paintings blouse and a wide-brimmed straw hat toting a shoulder bag and strolling towards German’s house.
Prosecutors say they’ve robust proof, together with DNA believed to be from Telles discovered underneath German’s fingernails and cut-up items of a straw hat and sneakers discovered at Telles’ space that resembled the ones worn through the individual observed on video outdoor German’s house.
Police additionally launched pictures of a particular maroon SUV like one {that a} Assessment-Magazine photographer noticed Telles washing outdoor his house a number of days after the killing.
Robert Telles is sworn in at the 8th day of his homicide trial on the Regional Justice Middle in Las Vegas on Wednesday. (Ok.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Assessment-Magazine by way of AP)
On Monday the jury heard that Telles had loads of pictures of German’s house and community on his mobile phone and pc.
Different pictures taken from Telles’ units incorporated a picture of a unmarried grey athletic shoe with a particular black trend and a shot of Telles’ paintings pc on the Clark County Public Administrator and Mum or dad place of work with result of web searches via a password-protected web page that retrieved German’s identify, house deal with, automobile registration and date of delivery.
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Prosecutor Christopher Hamner famous for jurors that the picture was once taken on Aug. 23, 2022 – lower than two weeks ahead of German was once discovered useless in a pool of blood.
Telles grew up in El Paso, Texas, and lived in Colorado ahead of shifting to Las Vegas. He turned into a attorney in 2015 and ran as a Democrat in 2018 to develop into Clark County administrator of estates. He misplaced his elected place after his arrest and his regulation license was once suspended.
Prosecutors don’t seem to be looking for the demise penalty and Telles has remained jailed.
Fox Information’ Danielle Wallace and the Related Press contributed to this record
