Robert Telles, a former Clark County Public Administrator, testified Thursday that he would have won reelection in the 2022 primary if not for damaging articles published by Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German. Telles, 47, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder with use of a deadly weapon in connection with German’s death in September 2022.
During his second day on the witness stand, Telles claimed that German’s critical reporting significantly harmed his political campaign. Prosecutor Christopher Hamner asked Telles if he believed he would have won the primary had German not written the articles. Telles affirmed, “I do believe that, yes.”
Despite his hope for victory, Telles admitted uncertainty about the outcome and prepared to return to probate law if necessary. He ultimately finished third in the race. In court, Hamner presented text messages from Telles expressing concern that German’s articles would tarnish his career and future prospects.
Telles, however, maintained his innocence, alleging a conspiracy to frame him. He asserted that a professional assassin, not him, killed German and that evidence, such as DNA found under German’s fingernails, was planted. Telles also claimed that his phone was hacked to display images of German’s home.
Telles faced scrutiny over discrepancies in his testimony, including his denial of involvement in the destruction of a shoe and hat that matched the assailant’s description. He stated, “I did not cut up a shoe and hide it under my couch. I did not cut up a hat and put it in an open door of my toolbox.”
The prosecution’s case includes evidence suggesting that Telles was seen at German’s home shortly before the killing. Text records and inconsistencies between Telles’ phone log and his wife’s Apple Watch messages added to the scrutiny.
The trial will continue on Friday at 9:30 a.m.
Jeff German, 69, was a veteran journalist known for his investigative work exposing corruption and crime. Prosecutors argue that his reporting on Telles’ office, which included allegations of a hostile work environment and inappropriate conduct, led to his murder. Telles had publicly denounced the allegations and lost his reelection bid in June 2022. German was found dead with multiple stab wounds outside his home on September 2, 2022. The indictment accuses Telles of committing the murder “willfully, deliberately, and premeditatedly,” or by “lying in wait” for the victim.