A Las Vegas politician accused of murdering a journalist who wrote unflattering articles about him took the stand at his trial to declare his innocence.
Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German was found fatally stabbed in September 2022, after writing a series of articles about Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, including a report on an alleged affair between him and a staff member.
Telles was arrested when his DNA was found under German’s fingernails. He was charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon against a victim 60 years of age or older.
He has maintained his innocence throughout his two years in custody and reiterated his belief that he had been framed when he took the stand on Wednesday.
In a 90-minute statement to the jury, Telles said the ordeal “had been a nightmare, frankly.”
Robert Telles has maintained his innocence throughout his two years in custody and reiterated his belief that he was framed when he took the stand on Wednesday.
Telles’ car, a red GMC, matched the vehicle seen on surveillance near the victim’s home.
“I am undoubtedly innocent,” he said. “I did not kill Mr. German.”
Police say they discovered Telles’ DNA on German’s fingernails, saw his car near the victim’s home and collected clothing matching the killer’s description inside Telles’ home.
The items, namely tennis shoes and a straw hat, had been cut into pieces when they were recovered from Telles’ home.
“I’m a little nervous. It’s a day I’ve been waiting for for almost two years,” Telles told the jury on Wednesday.
Telles had to stand by the judge to stick to his “personal knowledge and the facts” rather than express theories and opinions.
He argued that German’s injuries, based on what he saw in the photos, must have been the result of someone “with some kind of training.”
“I have no personal training for combat,” Telles said.
Police say they discovered Telles’ DNA on German’s fingernails, saw his car near the victim’s home and collected clothing matching the killer’s description inside Telles’ home.
These items, namely tennis shoes and a straw hat, had been cut up at the time they were recovered from Telles’ home.
Speaking to the jury, he said his decision to wash his cars was “just to distract himself.”
Telles said he had been framed and that he started to “get really scared” when he first thought about being framed.
One of the first similarities he said he noticed was the cars. Telles’ car, a red GMC, matched the vehicle seen on surveillance cameras near the victim’s home.
After the incident, Telles was seen outside his home washing his car.
Speaking to the jury, he said his decision to wash his cars was “just to distract himself.”
He said the surveillance image police released of the car in question had different tires than his, meaning it was “clearly not my vehicle.”
In a 90-minute statement to the jury, Telles said the ordeal had been “a nightmare, frankly.”
