Ex-politician accused of murder won’t get free legal help
maylen
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Robert Telles, the former Clark County Public Administrator, who is accused of murdering a local investigative reporter and is representing himself in the court case, learned Wednesday he would have to pay for standby legal counsel who would be available to give advice but not represent him during the trail.
Telles questioned why Judge Michelle Leavitt overturned a previous ruling finding him indigent which would have meant he would have qualified for free court-appointed standby legal counsel. Judge Leavitt pointed out that Telles does have money to pay because he has a home in Las Vegas, five rental homes in Arkansas, $10K in a retirement account, and savings.
Telles is facing charges for allegedly killing Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German in Sept. 2022.
He appeared in the Las Vegas courtroom for two handwritten motions he filed with the court. In one of them, he was asking the court to allow him to be moved from his cell block at the Clark County Detention Center because he is the victim of cruel and unusual punishment.
He said he wanted somewhere safer where he would have better access to legal research but the motion was denied.
The Clark County District Attorney’s office said Telles is appropriately housed and in regard to access to legal research, he has the same access as any person who is incarcerated and representing themselves in a court case. The DA added that Judge Leavitt “bent over backward” to warn Telles about how difficult it would be to defend himself.
Telles also had a second motion requesting access to the Review-Journal’s motion to suppress his subpoenas to get information about the investigation into German’s killing, which would include information on German’s cell phone and computer which police seized after his death. The newspaper has also filed a motion to stop officials from searching through that information because it could reveal confidential sources.
Prosecutors asked for a two-week delay to hear those motions. The date for that hearing will be April 19 at 8:30 a.m.
