A US politician appeared dejected and shook his head after being found guilty of murdering a journalist who had written critical reports about him.
Robert Telles, 47, looked down and shook his head as the Clark County jury delivered its verdict.
The case, which has raised concerns about press freedom, involved the murder of investigative reporter Jeff German, 69, who was found stabbed to death in September 2022. German had reported on Telles’ alleged affair with a staff member and criticized his management style.
Telles, who was the county public administrator at the time and a Democrat, had lost his re-election bid a month after the critical reports were published.
Prosecutors claimed Telles hid in the bushes near German’s home and waited for him before fatally stabbing him. He was arrested five days later.
Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly emphasized that the case was not about politics or workplace issues but about murder.
Telles’ lawyer, Robert Draskovich, argued that police had not investigated other potential suspects and noted that Telles had mocked German’s reports online. Draskovich contended that the articles were not a motive for murder, and killing a journalist would not erase a story.
Telles, who maintained his innocence, was found guilty of first-degree murder on August 28. He faces life imprisonment either with or without parole, or a term of 20 to 50 years.
Following the verdict, Katherine Jacobsen from the Committee to Protect Journalists stated that the verdict sends a strong message against the killing of journalists, stressing the importance of holding perpetrators accountable.
