LAS VEGAS (AP) 鈥 A voicemail threat by an unidentified person to a Las Vegas investigative journalist seven months before he was killed in September 2022 emerged Tuesday as a potential delay for the upcoming murder trial of a former elected official.
A prosecutor told the Nevada judge hearing the case involving ex-Democratic county administrator of estates Robert Telles that authorities need time 鈥 both to finish sifting slain Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German's cellphone and computers for evidence in the case and to investigate whether the person who made the threat killed German.
"From the state's perspective, it certainly complicates readiness, given the nature of it," Chief Deputy Clark County District Attorney Pamela Weckerly said. 鈥淔or us to proceed to trial, we're entitled to investigate ... and address this particular item of information.鈥
Telles wants to go to trial as scheduled March 18, defense attorney Robert Draskovich told the judge 鈥 despite Draskovich鈥檚 advice that they wait to finish collecting and examining evidence. Draskovich noted that Telles remains jailed without bail.
Telles, 47, has in the killing and insists that he wants to testify before a jury. He could face life in prison if he's convicted.
鈥淚鈥檝e advised my client that we should seek a continuance,鈥 Draskovich said as Telles stood wearing shackles and jail clothing. 鈥淭hat being said, it鈥檚 my client鈥檚 wish to go forward with our March trial.鈥
Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt neither confirmed nor postponed a trial date. She scheduled another status hearing March 6.
Outside court, Draskovich told reporters that he learned Friday about the 45-second voicemail from Las Vegas Review-Journal attorneys who've been screening German鈥檚 phone records for possibly confidential material. The attorney said the caller had a high-pitched male voice that was 鈥渃learly not Telles.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 a death threat,鈥 the attorney said of the 鈥渟omewhat nonsensical鈥 message that he said mentioned President Joe Biden. 鈥滻t didn鈥檛 cite a specific story," Draskovich said, "but I believe it was in reference to a story that Jeff German wrote about extremism in the United States. It appears to be wholly unrelated to Mr. Telles.鈥
German authored a Review-Journal article about a year earlier in February 2021, titled,
German, 69, spent more than 40 years as an investigative reporter in Las Vegas. He was found stabbed to death outside his home months after he wrote that were critical of Telles and his managerial conduct.
鈥淭hese articles unfairly portray the defendant, in his role as Clark County Public Administrator, as a 鈥榖ully,鈥 and claim he created a hostile workplace,鈥 Telles responded in court filings this month. 鈥淭he articles further claim that the defendant had an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate employee.鈥
The documents said there were no 鈥渧iolent, threatening interactions鈥 between Telles and German, and said that while Telles 鈥渄isagreed鈥 with German鈥檚 reporting, he 鈥硁ever threatened him or physically confronted him.鈥
Prosecutors have cast German's stories about Telles as a motive for the killing. They say they have believed to be from Telles found beneath German鈥檚 fingernails and videos showing a man believed to be Telles walking near German鈥檚 home about the time of the killing.
Progress toward trial has been slowed while Telles has changed lawyers several times and served as his own attorney; by court arguments about authorities obtaining from German's cellphone and computers; by Telles' arguments that he has been framed and that police mishandled the investigation; and by two failed bids by Telles to remove Leavitt as the judge handling his case.
