Key moments from two weeks of testimony in trial over reporter’s killing
Testimony stretched on for two weeks in the murder trial over the killing of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German, as jurors heard from detectives, county employees and the defendant himself.
Prosecutors have accused former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles of fatally stabbing German on Sept. 2, 2022, over articles the journalist had written about Telles’ conduct as an elected official. He is accused of “lying in wait” for German outside the reporter’s home while wearing an orange reflective vest and a large, straw hat.
Prosecutors called 28 witnesses over the course of the trial. Telles’ defense attorney, Robert Draskovich, called six witnesses, including Telles, before resting his case on Friday, the same day German would have turned 71 years old.
Here are key moments from eight days of testimony.
‘Where are you?’
The day German was killed, Telles claimed he was at home, taking a walk and then going to the gym. Prosecutors have said that surveillance footage captured a maroon Yukon Denali SUV, matching the description of one of Telles’ cars, driving from his neighborhood, being driven in German’s neighborhood by the assailant, and then driving back toward Telles’ home.
Telles’ phone remained at home that morning, receiving messages but sending no outgoing responses, prosecutors said.
Telles said he didn’t respond to a message from his wife, who sent him a picture at about 10:35 that morning, because he was returning from a walk. But prosecutors on Thursday pointed to a second message his wife sent around the same time, found on his wife’s Apple watch.
“Where are you?” the message read.
The text was not found on Telles’ phone. Prosecutors questioned digital forensics analyst Matthew Hovanec during rebuttal testimony on Friday, asking him about finding deleted messages on a cellphone.
Hovanec said that while the Metropolitan Police Department’s method to search cellphone data may not pick up all deleted messages, he could not say “one way or the other” if the message was deleted from Telles’ phone.
Earlier in the trial, Hovanec testified that 132 downloaded images from Google maps were found on Telles’ phone, showing German’s home and the street he lived on. Telles’ work computer also contained information on German’s vehicle and address, he said.
German’s last records request
Before he was killed, German had sought emails and text messages between Telles and other county officials, including correspondence with his employee Roberta Lee-Kennett. Telles admitted at trial that the two had an affair.
On Friday, in one of Telles’ last moments on the witness stand, Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Hamner questioned Telles about his concern regarding the release of those messages.
“All you know is that Mr. German made one personal records request to your office, correct?” the prosecutor asked.
“Correct,” Telles responded.
County officials had alerted Telles about the release of those records the day before German was slain.
Telles had suggested earlier in the trial that German could not have obtained details about the affair through the records request, but Hamner pointed out that the reporter may have had other sources.
“This idea that German wasn’t going to be able to write any further articles, you don’t know that for a fact, isn’t that right?” the prosecutor asked.
“I certainly thought, based on the records request, that he would not,” Telles replied.
Telles acknowledged that he knew German was digging for more, including possible details about the affair.
“You even told your best employee Nichole (Lofton), that ‘I have a fear that these articles are going to jeopardize my ability to have employment in the future,’ correct?” the prosecutor asked.
“I did,” Telles said.
“You were concerned about even being able to work as an attorney in the city, yes?” Hamner asked.
“The thought crossed my mind,” Telles said. “Yes.”
The prosecutor pressed him further.
“Not just crossed your mind,” Hamner said. “You memorialized it in a private text message to your best employee, correct?”
Telles leaned and dropped his chin onto his clenched left fist.
“Yeah, mmhmm.”
Testimony by narration
Telles took the stand over the course of three days, testifying to the jury by narration, without answering questions from his defense attorney.
His statement to the jury focused on his theory that he was framed for German’s killing by Compass Realty & Management, over an alleged housing kickback scheme he reported to authorities.
Compass Realty has previously called Telles’ accusation “unconscionable and irresponsible” in a statement to the Review-Journal.
A Metro detective has testified that there was not enough evidence for a prosecution over Telles’ accusations and that there was also not enough evidence to prove a separate allegation that Telles also received kickbacks.
Telles faced cross-examination from Hamner, who asked him rapid-fire questions about Telles’ claims, his relationship with German and his whereabouts the day German was killed.
“At the end of the day, you’re just a victim in this whole thing, is that correct?” Hamner asked Telles on Friday.
“Yes,” Telles said.
Surveillance footage
Former Metropolitan Police Department Detective Cliff Mogg testified during the first week of trial about surveillance footage of the Yukon Denali. Mogg pointed out similarities between the assailant’s vehicle and the vehicle found in Telles’ driveway, including similarly tinted windows and an identical “light” spot near the windshield.
Mogg said that seeing Telles’ car while investigators searched his home “absolutely confirmed my belief that Mr. Telles’ vehicle was the one used in the commission of Jeffrey German’s murder.”
On Friday, homicide Detective Justine Gatus testified about surveillance footage that also depicted a BMW, resembling another one of Telles’ cars, leaving his neighborhood and driving toward a nearby gym after German was killed.
Telles has said he checked into a nearby Planet Fitness less than an hour after German was attacked.
DNA evidence
Telles was arrested on Sept. 7, 2022, after police learned that Telles’ DNA was found underneath German’s fingernails, prosecutors have said.
Telles said he did not know how his DNA was found on German, or how other physical evidence, including cut-up pieces of a tennis shoe and a cut-up straw hat, were found at his home.
“How in the world does your DNA get underneath Mr. German’s fingernails?” Hamner asked on Thursday.
“I do not know because I did not kill Mr. German,” Telles said.
County employees testify
The only two employees from the Clark County public administrator’s office to testify were Lofton and Lee-Kennett.
Lofton was called by the defense and testified that she experienced “bullying” after German’s articles were released but that Telles never expressed anger about the articles toward her.
In German’s articles on Telles, he reported on the office’s alleged toxic workplace and an “inappropriate” relationship between Telles and Lee-Kennett. Telles told the jury that he lied to German about the nature of the relationship, and he admitted to the affair.
Lee-Kennett testified that she texted Telles after seeing images of the assailant’s vehicle, publicized by police.
“F—-… your car is identical,” Lee-Kennett messaged Telles.
Attorneys are expected to give closing arguments on Monday.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.
