Trial on track to begin next month for suspect in reporter’s murder

The murder trial for former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles is set to go forward in less than three weeks.

The trial is currently set to begin on Aug. 12, a week after it was previously scheduled. It was delayed due to a request from attorneys, according to court records.

Telles is accused of killing Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German in September 2022 over articles the journalist had written about Telles’ conduct as an elected official.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly said during a court hearing Thursday that prosecutors and the defense attorneys still anticipate being ready for trial next month.

The trial has been delayed in the past as the Review-Journal entered a lengthy legal fight to prevent officials from searching through German’s personal devices, which police seized from his home after he was killed. The devices could contain confidential reporting information, and the Nevada Supreme Court has ruled that the state’s shield law continued to protect the devices even after German’s death.

Employees with the Review-Journal have been searching through the devices to determine what information may be confidential.

Attorney Ashley Kissinger, who represents the Review-Journal, said during a court hearing Thursday that employees had finished searching German’s laptop, the last device to be reviewed. The newspaper is now in the process of reviewing the material with a third-party vendor.

Senior Judge David Barker said the trial should move forward, “barring any surprises from the disclosure.”

Defense attorney Robert Draskovich has previously said that his client is adamant that the trial move forward, even if some of the information from the devices is not available. Weckerly said Thursday that prosecutors still want to review the devices before trial begins.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.