LAS VEGAS — The jury will hear opening statements Wednesday in the trial of a Las Vegas-area politician accused of killing an investigative journalist who had written articles critical of him.
The Death of Reporter Jeff Germanwho reported on the city, its government and its courts for 44 years, and the arrest a few days later about Robert Telles, the elected official accused of killing him, stunned Sin City and the world of journalism.
A jury of 12 and several alternates was finalized Tuesday. Prosecutors are expected to present the jury with what they call strong physical evidence. including DNA probably from Telles, found under Germans fingernails.
Telles’ attorney Robert Draskovich, who is scheduled to return to court Monday for the first day of the trial, called the case “difficult” but said Telles was looking forward to telling his story to a jury, which could happen during defense testimony next week.
Telles, 47, has pleaded not guilty to murder and could face life in prison if found guilty. He has said he did not kill German, that he was framed and that police mishandled the investigation.
The Labor Day weekend 2022 murder made national headlines. German was the only journalist killed in the U.S. among the 69 news media workers killed worldwide that year, according to facts through the Committee for the Protection of Journalists.
German, who lived alone, was found stabbed and cut to death outside his home. He was 69.
Police quickly released a video of a person wearing an orange work shirt and a wide straw hat walking toward German’s home on the day of the murder. Police also released footage of a distinctive maroon SUV, which a Review-Journal photographer saw Telles washing outside his home days later. Telles was arrested the next day and has been in custody ever since.
Prosecutors say articles German wrote for the Las Vegas Review-Journal in early 2022 about Telles and a district office in turmoil gave a motive for the killing. Telles ran as a Democrat for Clark County estates administrator in 2018. He lost his elected position after his arrest.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, who spoke in German, said in a statement Monday that “the State of Nevada, on behalf of Jeff and his family, looks forward to seeing justice finally served.” Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.
German’s relatives have not spoken publicly about the murder and declined to comment on the trial through a spokesman for the family and friends.
The progress of the process was partly delayed by a legal battle The Review-Journal went to the Supreme Court to protect the disclosure of confidential sources on German’s cell phones and computers.