LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – With all the jurors in place the trial for former Clark County administrator Robert Telles now moves forward.
Wednesday morning, opening statements are expected to get underway. The jurors will hear from the prosecution and defense on how they portray the case. The parties are looking to persuade the jury and give a preview of what to expect from key witnesses.
Throughout the day, you will see updates below on what is taking place in the courtroom. You can also watch live as it plays out.
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12:40 P.M. – The defense has wrapped up its opening statements. The court is in recess for lunch.
12:34 P.M. The defense is laying out the “lack of motive” in the case.
- Losing his job was not a motive for murder
- Killing a journalist does not kill a story
The defense then played voicemails found on German’s phone. The callers showed frustration and posed threats to German and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“Stop lying to people, whoever wrote that article the other day, you need to fire his a**… you better fire that son of a b**ch. Another voicemail found says “We’re watching you motherf**kers.”
Draskovich ends by saying “Robert Telles is not guilty.”
12:20 P.M. – Draskovich is speaking on the murder of Jeff German now.
He says Telles had an active trap and trace feature on his phone. The red Yukon was never positively identified, according to the lead defense attorney. DMV records produced 67 possible hits for a vehicle in Las Vegas matching the description. Draskovich says detectives are so focused on Robert Telles.
The bag found in the garage had no blood, the defense says. The hat found also was not tied to Jeff German. “There is no rational explanation why the hat and shoes were cut into pieces, except that they would be easier to conceal and plant,” said a bullet point on the screen.
Draskovich said no DNA evidence was ever found inside Telles’ car or on his clothes.
12:09 P.M. – Draskovich now speaks on Rita Reid and Alisha Johnson, two employees who worked inside the public administrator’s office.
12:05 P.M. – Draskovich describes what caused the “hostile work environment.” Draskovich says Mr. Telles began evaluating the ethics of the office’s relationships with third-party vendors.
He says Telles felt laws were being broken and third parties had taken over the public sector.
Mr. Telles put together an investigative findings report on March 6, 2022. Draskovich said it proved Mr. Telles’s concerns with how the public administrator’s office was being operated when Telles took the oath of office.
11:58 A.M. – Defense attorney Robert Draskovich begins opening statements by laying out “The Story of Robert Telles.” On the evidence screen, Telles’ accomplishments and work ethic are listed.
11:39 A.M. – The state has finished its opening statements.
Weckerly ended her remarks by saying “In the end, this case isn’t about politics, isn’t about alleged inappropriate relationships, it’s not about who is a good boss who is a good supervisor, or favoritism at work. It’s about a murder and at the end of the presentation of evidence we will ask you to hold him responsible.”
Court is now in a 15 minute break.
11:34 A.M. – The state says a search warrant was executed at the public administrator’s office. They found searches of the make and model of Jeff German’s car on Telles’ computer.
11:29 A.M. – A story German worked on regarding a “hostile work environment” in Robert Telles’ county offices is playing out before the jury.
11:25 A.M. – Weckerly shows evidence collected from Telles’ house on September 7, 2022, four days after the killing. Some of the items are a cut-up hat, shoes and a backpack. All those items matched what played out in the home security video.
11:16 A.M. – The prosecution then plays the home security video again. Explaining step by step how the defendant conducted the crime. This time Weckerly shows a video of the individual going back to the side of the house after the killing.
11:13 A.M. – Weckerly is showing the jury Jeff German’s reporting on Robert Telles along with exchanges between the two of them on social media.
11:10 A.M. – Weckerly shows more video from another home down the street showing the “assailant” walking back down the street following the attack and getting into a red Chevrolet Yukon SUV.
11:07 A.M. – State shows home security video from the house across the street from German’s. It shows German opening his garage and going around to the side of his home, then moments later an individual is seen walking up to the side of the house. “Mr. German opens his garage and goes over to the side yard and he is attacked,” Weckerly said during opening statements. The video shows some movement but does not clearly make out who it is walking up to German’s home.
11:02 A.M. – State experiences technical difficulties with evidence monitor.
10:56 A.M. – Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly begins opening statements for the state of Nevada. Weckerly begins by talking about Jeff German’s neighbors Roy and Holly Bailey who were concerned after not seeing German for at least a day.
10:48 A.M. – Court reporter reads grand jury indictment. Judge Leavitt goes over instructions to the jury.
10:44 A.M. – Jury brought into courtroom and sworn in.
10:41 A.M. – District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt makes her way into the courtroom. The bailiff brings in Robert Telles. We await for the jury to enter into the courtroom.
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