Voicemail death threat sought in case related to Las Vegas reporter’s killing

LAS VEGAS — Former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles’ defense attorney is pushing to obtain a recording of a death threat sent to Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German in the months before he was killed.

Both prosecutors and Telles’ defense attorney, Robert Draskovich, said they may not be ready to go to trial next month after Review-Journal employees who are searching through German’s personal devices found a voicemail recording of a death threat.

But Telles, who is accused of fatally stabbing German in September 2022 over articles German had written about Telles’ conduct as an elected official, still wants to move forward with next month’s trial.

“He is adamant, against counsel’s advice, to proceed with the March 18th trial date,” Draskovich said following a court hearing on Tuesday morning.

Draskovich said that German received an expletive-filled voicemail in 2022, and the message consisted of a male voice that was “clearly not Telles’ voice.” The voicemail referenced an article German wrote about extremism in the U.S., and was “somewhat nonsensical,” said Draskovich, who described the voicemail to reporters.

German had written a lengthy article about extremism in Southern Nevada.

The voicemail could be used as exculpatory evidence to help in Telles’ defense, Draskovich said. He said the trial may be able to move forward as scheduled if attorneys receive a copy of the voicemail.