News Date 2024.08.30
A former politician from Nevada was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the death of a journalist who wrote critical articles about his tenure in government.
Due to his stabbing of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German in 2022, Robert Telles, 47, has been incarcerated.Prosecutors used DNA evidence discovered under Mr. German’s fingernails, which they claimed belonged to Telles, who had entered a not guilty plea, to show the jury during the trial.
Wednesday saw the 12 member jury’s guilty verdict following two days of deliberation. The same jury sentenced Telles to life in prison a few hours later.The judge called in the jury on Wednesday, and Telles, who was chosen as the public administrator for Clark County in 2018, sat in court with a blank expression. Then, as the guilty verdict was read, he bowed his head.
“Politician in Nevada sentenced to life in prison for killing a reporter”
Juror number two informed the court, “The jury unanimously finds the murder to be wilful, deliberate, and premeditated.”Later on Wednesday, Telles was sentenced to life in prison in a different hearing. He will be eligible for parole following his 20-year prison sentence.
The jury, which consisted of five men and seven women, deliberated for about 12 hours starting on Monday before coming to a decision.
Two weeks had passed during the trial.
Numerous witnesses, including detectives, forensic specialists, people acquainted with the former politician, and Telles himself, testified in court.
He claimed that someone had set him up. About a week into the trial, he said, “This thing has been kind of a nightmare.” “I want to state clearly that I am innocent. Mr. German wasn’t killed by me.
Mr. German, 69, was discovered in September 2022, having suffered seven stab wounds to his neck and torso while walking outside his Nevada residence.
[BBC]
