LAS VEGAS –
A former Las Vegas-area politician has been charged with murder – potentially with the death penalty – in the murder of a veteran investigative journalist who wrote articles critical of him and his management practices. his reasoning.
Robert “Rob” Telles, 45, was indicted Thursday and is expected to be heard next Wednesday in Clark County District Court, according to court records.
One of Telles’ court-appointed attorneys, Edward Kane, declined to comment on the indictment, a move by prosecutors that means Telles will not face a preliminary hearing on the indictment. Evidence is scheduled for next week.
Telles, 45, a Democrat, lost his primary party post in June and was stripped by a court of his position as Clark County Administrator, leading the office that disposes of the estates of the deceased. leave a will or contact the family.
The state’s Supreme Court has suspended Telles’ license to practice law pending an investigation by the Nevada State Bar into allegations that he misappropriated client funds.
He was arrested on September 7, days after the stabbing death of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German on September 2 outside his German home. Telles is being held without bail at the Clark County Jail.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said he will make a decision in the coming weeks whether Telles faces the death penalty.
Prosecutors have argued that the evidence against Telles is overwhelming, including that Telles’ DNA was found beneath German fingernails; video shows a man believed to be Telles strolling near German’s home; and a vehicle believed to be Telles’ in the area.
Duc, 69, was widely respected for his persistence, and his colleagues said he was working on follow-up reports on Telles and the public administration office when he was killed.
A separate case is pending before the state Supreme Court over concerns about the disclosure of confidential German sources and notes.
A judge has ordered that police be prevented from accessing records, and Telles’ police, prosecutors and defense attorneys say they want to look into it for more evidence – including the possibility that someone later Telles motivated to kill Germany.
The Review-Journal, with the backing of dozens of media organisations, argues that the government has no access to German cell phones and electronic devices.
The newspaper cited Nevada’s so-called “news shield laws,” which are among the most stringent in the nation, along with the federal Privacy Shield Act and Amendment protections. first judgment.
The Review-Journal on Friday reported that Telles had been assigned two Clark County deputy public defenders at public expense despite reporting to the court last month that he and his wife had earned 20,500 dollars per month before his arrest and he owned five rental properties in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Property records show the couple also owns a home in Las Vegas with a taxable value of more than $320,000.
