Former US Democratic politician Robert Telles has been sentenced to at least 20 years in prison in Las Vegas for the murder of investigative journalist Jeff German. Telles is said to have stabbed the journalist to death in 2022 because he was critical of his administration.
A former US Democratic politician in the gambling metropolis of Las Vegas has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a journalist. Robert Telles can apply for parole after 20 years, according to the verdict of a jury in the state of Nevada on Wednesday.
When the guilty verdict was announced, Telles hung his head. The jury had previously deliberated for almost twelve hours over a period of three days. They had been presented with evidence for eight days in the trial, which began on August 12.
The jury found it proven that Telles stabbed investigative reporter Jeff German in 2022 while he was writing articles for the Las Vegas Review-Journal that were critical of his administration. Telles, 47, was arrested a few days after German’s body was found on his property.
Telles’ defense attorney Robert Draskovich declined to comment on his client’s emotional reaction to the verdict, but said Telles intends to appeal.
Killed journalist reported on crimes for 44 years
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, a Democrat, said German had “an outstanding reputation” and it was “a shame” he was no longer alive. Wolfson also dismissed as “ridiculous” Telles’ claims that there was a broad conspiracy against him, including Wolfson, to frame him for German’s murder to punish him for his work against corruption.
“I’m not the kind of person who would stab someone. I did not kill Mr. German,” Telles told the jury on the witness stand last week. German had reported on crime, court cases and corruption in Las Vegas for 44 years. He was 69 years old.
AP/saha
