LAS VEGAS — When the courtroom doors swung open on Friday and the bailiff called a certain police detective into the hallway, some jurors sat up straighter.
From the beginning of the murder trial of former Las Vegas politician Robert Telles, his team of attorneys has made the detective a key part of his defense. They allege that the officer implicated Telles in the murder of investigative journalist Jeff German by “inserting himself” into the investigation and “trying to control the direction” of the case.
Now the jurors heard from the detective himself. Derek Jappe, who primarily investigates cases of government corruption and is a trained crisis negotiator, said homicide detectives asked him for help when it came time to arrest Telles.
Jappe said they turned to him because of his training in crisis negotiations and because Telles had gotten to know the detective while investigating reports of possible financial crimes within Telles’ office, including allegations against Telles. Jappe told the jury he found no evidence of wrongdoing on Telles’ part.
Telles, formerly the elected provincial public administrator of unclaimed estates, has pleaded not guilty murder and says he did not kill German, that he was framed for the crime and that the police mishandled the investigation. Those allegations were not raised during cross-examination, although Jappe could return to the witness stand next week if he is recalled to testify by Telles’ lawyers.
“We presented the defense that our client wanted us to present,” Robert Draskovich said outside the courtroom on Friday.
The murder in September 2022 from German, which 44 Years of Covering Las Vegas Mafiosi and government officials at the Las Vegas Sun and later at the rival Las Vegas Review-Journal, stunned Sin City and the world of journalism.
German, 69, was found dead in a side yard of his home, slashed and stabbed. He was the only reporter killed in the U.S. among the 69 news media workers killed worldwide that year, the Committee for the Protection of Journalists.
According to prosecutors, articles were written by German that were critical of Telles and a district office in turmoil gave a motive for the murder and that the German was working on another story when he died.
Testimony in Telles’ trial began Wednesday. Prosecutors are expected to continue presenting the state’s case through Monday.
During the week, the jury also heard from forensic scientists who said Telles’ DNA was found under the victim’s fingernails. And they were shown video and photo evidence, including security footage of the suspect driving through German’s neighborhood in a maroon SUV, as a Review-Journal photographer found Telles washing outside his home days after German’s death.
German’s relatives, who have attended every day of the trial so far, have not spoken publicly about the murder and as a group have declined to comment in court.
Telles is expected to testify in his defense next week. He faces life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.
___
Yamat was a colleague of Jeff German at the Las Vegas Review-Journal.