Judge Denies Robert Telles' Request for Hearing in Jeff German Murder Case

A Clark County judge has denied convicted murderer Robert Telles’ request for a hearing to explore potential juror misconduct during his trial. Telles, a former Las Vegas politician, was convicted on Aug. 28 of murdering investigative journalist Jeff German in 2022. The jury sentenced him to serve 20 years to life in prison.

Telles’ legal team, led by attorney Robert Draskovich, had filed a motion asking for an evidentiary hearing, citing concerns about the jury's deliberation process. According to the motion, one of the jurors disclosed that the jury had been deadlocked at a pivotal moment in the trial. "We informed the judge that it was 11 to one, we’re a hung jury, and the marshal came back and informed us what the judge said was to keep working,” Juror No. 6 told reporters in an anonymous interview following the trial.

Despite the jury's initial deadlock, they eventually reached a unanimous verdict, finding Telles guilty of the brutal murder of German, who was well-known for his investigative reporting on corruption in Las Vegas, including pieces on Telles himself. German, a seasoned reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, was found stabbed to death outside his home in September 2022.

In his request for a hearing, Telles’ attorney argued that the jury’s deadlock and the judge’s instructions to continue deliberations warranted further examination. Draskovich called for the jurors to be questioned to “clarify, supplement, and protect” the trial record. The defense also raised concerns about comments made by a juror regarding the weather on the day of the murder and the significance of the case for journalism.

However, prosecutors argued that questioning jurors about their internal deliberations would be improper. Citing state and federal laws, they emphasized that jurors' thought processes during deliberations cannot be used to challenge a verdict. “Calling jurors in to discuss this matter at an evidentiary hearing would be improper as it clearly falls within ambit of delving into a juror’s internal thought process at some point of the deliberation,” prosecutors stated in their response.

Judge Michelle Leavitt, who presided over the trial, agreed with the prosecution and denied the request for a hearing. She ruled that there was no legal basis for further inquiry into the jury’s deliberations.

While the jury has already sentenced Telles for German’s murder, Judge Leavitt will still need to sentence him for additional charges, including the use of a deadly weapon and the fact that German was over 60 years old at the time of the crime. Telles’ sentencing on these enhancements is scheduled for Oct. 16.

The case, which drew national attention due to the high-profile nature of both the victim and the accused, continues to resonate, particularly in the journalism community. German’s work had exposed several controversies in Las Vegas, including his investigations into Telles’ misconduct in his role as a public administrator.

Telles maintains his innocence and has vowed to appeal the conviction. However, with the denial of his request for a hearing, his legal options are becoming increasingly limited as he awaits the final sentencing.
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