Bryn Wright
September 16, 2022
When I posted my article late last week about the murder of investigative journalist Jeff German, I had no idea how deep and twisted this story would go. To most everyone, this is just a case of a reporter being murdered. However, when you take off the rose-colored glasses and take a deeper look into things, it is soon realized that this rabbit hole goes very deep.
DNA evidence linked Clark County Public Administrator, Robert Telles (45), to the bombastic stabbing death of Jeff German (69). The suspected reason for the murder is simple, anger. Telles was allegedly angry about all the reporting German was doing about the upheaval and turmoil in the Administrators office. In almost all crime scene investigation or forensics classes out there, it is taught that the way someone is murdered speaks volumes about the emotional state of the person who murdered them. Stabbing is a very personal and vindictive way to kill someone. To leave them dead, in the side yard of their home for anyone to find is a whole other level of evil. This, however, was not Telle's first brush with the law. In 2020, Mae Ismael, wife of Telles called emergency services to ask for help. When they arrived, Robert Telles was arrested. He was charged with domestic battery and resisting arrest in March of 2020. The judge in his case found him guilty, gave him a 90-day suspended sentence, and told him he had to complete a "think better" class and once he did everything was dropped. Telles was not required to report this domestic violence situation when taking or running for his now elected position. His attorney at the time managed to get him a very good deal ahead of the election so that Telles would not have to report his crimes against his wife in front of their two young children. State Bar attorney Daniel Hooge said Friday, September 9, 2022, that his office will request the Nevada Supreme Court suspend Telles’ license for misconduct. Three complaints have been filed against Telles since 2019. One for dropping his client too close to a hearing date, the second was dismissed Hooge said he could not comment on the details of the third complaint filed in August 2020 because Telles entered a diversion program. The process removes an allegation from an attorney’s record if they complete certain requirements.
Early Tuesday morning, as the sun rose over the Vegas Strip, Robert Telles was brought before the judge who is overseeing his case. He was supposed to have been arraigned, however, his attorney asked for a continuance until September 20, 2022. At this time the reason for the delay is unclear, though personally, I suspect that his attorney is going to try to have him evaluated and attempt to use a diminished capacity or insanity defense. I have no respect for that defense in this case because I feel that it was absolutely and horrifically pre-meditated. Telles picked an outfit to wear so that he would appear to others as a neighborhood landscaper. Telles drove his wife’s GMC Yukon to the home of German, who had been exposing details of the sordid office issues. In addition to that, German was reporting on the alleged affair that was ongoing between Telles and Roberta Lee-Kennett. There were multiple pictures and videos of the pair parking across the street from the county office and moving to the back seat of one or the other’s vehicle. No one who witnessed this behavior thought that it was good behavior, and it is reported that one of the multiple reasons there were issues in the workplace is because of the favoritism that Lee-Kennett was given by Telles. Additionally, investigators do have surveillance footage that is grainy and distorted, which they are trying to fix because it may show the attack on German at his home that fateful Friday morning.
The images above were taken off of surveillance recordings. This shows to what length Robert Telles was willing to go in order to accomplish what he wanted. The other landscaper in the third picture is one of my neighborhood lawn crewmen. Now you all can see why I said what I did in the first article about dressing to blend in but trying to hide. The last image is that of the shoes allegedly worn by Telles, which he was attempting to destroy during the SWAT standoff.
On Saturday, September 10, 2022, when I was reading through updates on this case, I learned that Robert Telles will be permitted to keep his elected seat as Clark County Public Administrator overseeing the estates of deceased persons. He will also be permitted to keep earning his $130,000 per year unless he resigns, is recalled or January comes when the elected official to take his seat begins their tenure. "Telles was a lawyer who practiced probate and estate law before he was elected public administrator in 2018, replacing a three-term predecessor. Telles’ term in office expires Dec. 31, but Clark County officials said he is suspended and has been banned from county offices or property pending a review of his position as an elected official." (AP News)
Learning this was a shock to me considering the knowledge I have regarding another duly elected individual, Couy Griffin, who has been in his seat in Otero County, New Mexico since 2018. He did not run for re-election and was not permitted to do so because of New Mexico State District Judge Francis Mathew. Griffin is the first elected official to be removed from office for participating in the January 6, 2021 events. In his decision, Judge Mathew wrote that “Commissioner Couy Griffin, founder of the “Cowboys for Trump” group, violated Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution when he took part in the riot that left four people dead and 100 police officers injured, disqualifying him from holding local, state or federal office. This ruling also marks the first time a judge has ruled that the incident was an insurrection and the first time since 1869 that a judge has removed a public official under Section 3.” According to the judge on Griffin's case, “He took an oath to support the Constitution of the United States ... [and then] engaged in that insurrection after taking his oath,” Judge Mathew wrote.
On September 9, 2022, I had a chance to catch up with Couy to see what in the world was going on after the week of his judicial proceedings. According to Griffin, the judge not only ruled that he was to be removed from office but effective immediately, he was no longer going to be receiving a salary. I asked him what his thoughts were regarding the alleged murderer of Jeff German being permitted to hold his seat and continue to earn a paycheck and about that pesky insurrection business. Griffin said, “It's very clearly laid out in Sections 3 and 5 both in the 14th Amendment that the law regarding insurrection, that the law can only be legislated by Congress. It is not self-executing; it’s not provisional law, it has to be legislated on by Congress and that’s why no one has been charged with insurrection.” Griffin was charged with trespassing, stemming from him being at Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021.
When we spoke about the Las Vegas murder allegedly committed by the County Administrator, Griffin has this to say about Telles continuing to receive his salary and position, “Isn’t it unbelievable that a cold-blooded murderer is still able to receive his salary and benefits, but with me, they forced me out with a civil proceeding. They tried to downplay things through civil charges and civil proceedings. I was just tried, convicted, and found guilty by a district court judge who does not have jurisdictional standing to rule on something like insurrection. It’s so unjust.” I share his sentiment, that it is very unjust for him to have been removed from his elected office by a state district court, that is not in Griffin’s district at all. The people of Otero County did elect Couy Griffin to his seat, the plaintiffs are outside of Otero County. Something is very wrong with a process that willingly silenced the people's votes over a trespassing charge but then is allowing a DNA-linked alleged murderer to remain in his seat due to the number of signatures required to recall his seat.
I will be catching up with Couy on September 23rd and 24th, in person, and will be able to get an update on all his ongoing cases. Continue to follow this story and others about the truth and consequences that are happening in our country and around the world.
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