A U.S. politician appeared visibly shaken and downcast after being convicted of murdering a journalist who had written critical articles about him.
Robert Telles, 47, kept his eyes on the ground and repeatedly shook his head as he listened to the Clark County jury deliver their verdict in a case that has raised significant concerns about press freedom.
The victim, 69-year-old Jeff German, an investigative reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was found stabbed to death in September 2022. German had written a series of unflattering stories about Telles, including one alleging that the then-public administrator of Clark County was involved in an affair with a staff member.
German’s reports also detailed allegations that Telles created a hostile work environment and showed favoritism, leading to Telles’ defeat in his re-election bid just a month later.
Prosecutors revealed that Telles had lain in wait, hiding in bushes near German’s home before ambushing and fatally stabbing the journalist. Telles was apprehended five days after the murder.
Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly emphasized that the case was solely about the murder, stating, “In the end, this case isn’t about politics. It’s not about alleged inappropriate relationships. It’s not about who’s a good boss or who’s a good supervisor or favoritism at work. It’s just about murder.”
Despite Telles’ defense attorney, Robert Draskovich, arguing that the police failed to consider other potential suspects and highlighting that Telles had even made light of German’s stories online, the jury remained unconvinced. Draskovich insisted, “These articles were not a motive for murder. And we all know, killing a journalist does not kill a story.”
Telles continued to deny the charges, declaring in court, “Unequivocally, I am innocent.”
However, on Wednesday afternoon, August 28, the jury found Telles guilty of first-degree murder. He now faces a possible life sentence without parole, life with parole eligibility after 20 years, or a prison term ranging from 20 to 50 years.
Following the verdict, Katherine Jacobsen, the U.S., Canada, and Caribbean program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, stated that the conviction “sends an important message that the killing of journalists will not be tolerated.” She added, “It is vital that the murder of journalists should be taken seriously, and perpetrators held accountable.”
Source: https://www.gistmania.com/
