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August 29, 2024 – USA –
Justice has finally been served in the high-profile murder of investigative journalist Jeff German, who was killed in 2022 after reporting on workplace misconduct in a local government office. On August 28, 2024, a Nevada jury found former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 28 years, a rare but significant legal outcome in a country where murders of journalists often go unpunished.
German, a veteran reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, had exposed Telles’s alleged mismanagement and inappropriate behavior in office. His reporting contributed to Telles losing his re-election bid, and prosecutors argued this motivated the deadly attack. On September 2, 2022, German was found stabbed to death outside his Las Vegas home. Evidence presented during the trial included surveillance footage, eyewitness accounts, and DNA under German’s fingernails that matched Telles.
The prosecution emphasized that German was targeted for doing his job—holding public officials accountable—and that Telles carried out the murder in retaliation. The jury deliberated for 12 hours before delivering a unanimous guilty verdict. During sentencing, the judge imposed additional years for the use of a deadly weapon and for targeting an elderly victim, reinforcing the severity of the crime.
Media watchdogs, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), welcomed the verdict. CPJ called it a powerful reminder that violence against journalists cannot go unchecked. German’s colleagues at the Review-Journal described him as a fearless reporter whose work made a lasting impact on Nevada politics.
While the conviction offers some closure, it also underscores the growing risks faced by journalists, even in democratic countries like the United States. German’s case is particularly notable as he was the only journalist murdered in the U.S. in 2022, and one of the few whose killer has been held accountable.
The outcome sends a clear message: targeting journalists for uncovering the truth will not be tolerated. It stands as a rare but important victory for press freedom and the rule of law.
Reference –
USA: Justice Finally Served for the Murder of Journalist Jeff German | RSF
