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October 16, 2024 – USA –
Former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles received a severe sentence for the 2022 murder of investigative journalist Jeff German, ending a case that shocked both Las Vegas and the broader journalism community.
On October 16, Judge Michelle Leavitt sentenced Telles to life in prison, enforcing a minimum term of 28 years before parole eligibility. The sentence builds upon a jury’s earlier recommendation of a 20-year minimum for first-degree murder, with an additional eight years added due to sentencing enhancements including use of a deadly weapon, premeditation (lying in wait), and the advanced age of the victim, Jeff German, 69. With approximately two years already served in custody, Telles will not be eligible for parole until around age 73.
The conviction stemmed from the brutal stabbing of German outside his Las Vegas home on September 2, 2022. German, who had spent 44 years reporting at the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Las Vegas Sun, was investigating Telles’s conduct as public administrator, including reports of workplace bullying and an illicit affair with a staffer. Prosecutors presented strong evidence, including Telles’ DNA under German’s fingernails, surveillance footage of the suspect in a straw hat and orange shirt lurking near German’s house, a maroon SUV linked to Telles, and incriminating materials found on Telles’s computer and phone.
During sentencing, German’s brother, Jay, delivered a poignant victim impact statement, speaking of the family’s enduring fear and grief. The Review-Journal’s executive editor, Glenn Cook, described the ruling as a measure of justice not only for Jeff German but for journalists everywhere, emphasizing the chilling risk that violence against reporters could have remained unchecked.
Although Telles denies the crime and plans to appeal, the conviction has been hailed as a critical precedent in safeguarding press freedom in the U.S. Katherine Jacobsen of the Committee to Protect Journalists said it sends a clear message: “the killing of journalists will not be tolerated”. As the only journalist murdered in the U.S. in 2022, German’s death—and the legal outcome—underscore both the dangers facing investigative reporters and the importance of a justice system that treats attacks on the press as severe crimes.
Reference –
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/16/robert-telles-las-vegas-sentence
