Former Las Vegas Democratic lawmaker accused of murdering journalist claims he was framed
Brady Knox
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A former Las Vegas Democratic politician claims he was framed in the September murder of an acclaimed investigative journalist.
In October, former Clark County Administrator Robert Telles, 46, pleaded not guilty to stabbing Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, 69, to death outside his home.
Prosecutors have described evidence of Telles’s guilt as overwhelming. It includes the finding of his DNA under German’s fingernails, a vehicle resembling Telles’s in the area at the time of the murder, the outfit of the murder suspect caught on camera found at Telles’s house cut up, and more. This evidence, Telles claims, was all planted.
ACCLAIMED LAS VEGAS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER STABBED TO DEATH OUTSIDE HOME
“I need to say that I’m innocent and I was framed,” he told 8 News Now from his cell in the Clark County Detention Center.
He went on to explain the damning evidence away, saying that the vehicle found near the crime scene just happened to look like his. “As far as any other evidence goes, as far as when it may have been planted, I couldn’t say. Again, I know it’s an incredible story. But that is the story,” he said.
Though he didn’t immediately say who could have planted the evidence, he said he was being framed due to efforts as a public administrator to uncover a massive scam involving people trying to take the properties of the deceased before their families could.
His former defense counsel apparently was not buying the defense. Telles announced a breaking with his counsel. He is requesting to represent himself in court.
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German published a series of articles on Telles alleging the mistreatment of his staff and alleging that the married politician was carrying out an affair with a staffer. The articles largely contributed to his defeat in the Democratic primary, which prosecutors claim drew Telles to murder the journalist.
Telles is being charged with murder with a weapon of a victim 60 years or older. He faces the possibility of life without parole.