Telles accuses judge of ‘badgering’ him in recusal request

District Judge Michelle Leavitt converses with former Clark County Administrator Robert Telles, who is implicated of murdering Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, throughout a hearing at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. Former Clark County Administrator Robert Telles, who is accused of murdering Las Vegas Review-Journal press reporter Jeff German, tries to file a motion for the judge to recuse herself court throughout a hearing at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas Thursday, March 9, 2023. Then-Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, right, talks to Review-Journal investigative press reporter Jeff German in his Las Vegas workplace on May 11, 2022.
Former Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles accused a judge of antagonising and "badgering" him when she questioned him about representing himself against a murder charge.

District attorneys have said Telles fatally stabbed Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German outside his home in September since of short articles German had actually discussed Telles' conduct as a chosen authorities. After District Judge Michelle Leavitt permitted Telles to represent himself, Telles filed a movement this week requesting for Leavitt to be disqualified from the case.

" Judge Leavitt's opinion of Defendant and his self-representation displays an ingrained antagonism that will make reasonable judgment in future hearings impossible," Telles specified in the hand-written, 12-page motion launched Friday.

During a court hearing last week, Leavitt grilled Telles for almost 30 minutes about his choice to represent himself and his knowledge of criminal law. She consistently told him that she believed representing himself was a bad concept.

Telles has practiced primarily civil and probate law considering that graduating from Boyd Law School in 2014. He has previously said that he has never ever handled a felony criminal case, and has actually taken 3 civil cases to a jury trial.

He implicated Leavitt of "pestering" him during recently's hearing, which Telles stated "led the media to produce stories where Defendant's intentions and capability were called into question.".

In his displays, Telles included two news articles about Leavitt's judgment enabling him to represent himself.

Telles has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder with a fatal weapon versus a victim who is 60 or older. He has informed other regional media outlets that he was framed.

In court, prosecutors have indicated numerous pieces of proof against Telles in German's slaying, including DNA discovered underneath the reporter's fingernails and clothes and bloody pieces of a shoe discovered at Telles' home matching products worn by a suspect seen in security video footage roaming German's area the day he was killed.

Telles remains in the Clark County Detention Center without bail. A jury trial in the event is currently arranged for November, and a hearing on Telles' movement regarding Leavitt is scheduled for March 30.

This is an establishing story. Inspect back for updates.

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