Robert Telles, accused of murdering journalist Jeff German, testifies

Robert Telles, the former public administrator of Clark County, is accused of Murder in 2022 Death of Las Vegas journalist Jeff Germantestified in his own defense on Wednesday.

The court adjourned for lunch shortly after 12:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. ET) and resumed the session at about 2:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. ET).

German, 69, was found stabbed to death Death outside his home.

Prosecutors argue that Telles was motivated by German's reporting on his office, which painted a picture of a county government in turmoil and accused Telles of having an inappropriate relationship with a female colleague. Telles mocked German and the newspaper he worked for, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, on social media.

Telles, 47, has pleaded not guiltyHe told Judge Michelle Leavitt in court Tuesday that he knew he was not obligated to testify. His lawyers, Robert Draskovich and Michael Horvath, said outside the courtroom Tuesday that they had advised Telles not to testify, but he insisted.

The defense may call three more witnesses, Draskovich said, including one who could corroborate Telles' testimony that he visited a gym on the day of the murder. The defense said Telles is expected to be called last and no family members or character witnesses are scheduled. Telles' testimony could last more than a day.

“He is entitled to his defense,” Draskovich told reporters. “That is the defense he wants to present.”

His defense team called two witnesses Tuesday: a clinical and forensic psychologist who testified that cuts on Telles' wrists found at his home when Las Vegas police arrested him should not be interpreted as a sign of a guilty conscience, and a woman who testified that she called police to report that she believed a person seen in a video news report wearing orange clothing near German's home resembled someone she had seen in a park a few days before the murder. She did not give Telles' identity in court.

The accusation dropped his case on Monday after spending four days building their case against Telles, including calling 28 witnesses and presenting hundreds of pages of photographs, police reports and video evidence against him.