In a dramatic turn of events, the murder trial of former Las Vegas-area politician Robert Telles took an unexpected twist when a key police detective, Derek Jappe, took the stand as a witness for the defense. Telles, who is accused of the murder of investigative reporter Jeff German, has maintained his innocence, claiming to be a victim of framing and police mishandling of the investigation.

The presence of Detective Jappe has been emphasized by Telles' defense team from the outset of the trial. They argue that Jappe inserted himself into the investigation and attempted to control its direction, implicating Telles in the process. Jurors were undoubtedly intrigued as Jappe made his appearance in the courtroom on Friday.

Primarily assigned to corruption cases involving public officials and equipped with crisis negotiation training, Jappe explained that he was called upon by homicide detectives to assist with Telles' arrest. This decision was partly influenced by Jappe's previous interaction with Telles while investigating allegations of financial crimes within Telles' office. Jappe revealed that his investigations found no evidence of wrongdoing on Telles' part.

Telles, former county public administrator of unclaimed estates, has entered a not guilty plea to the murder charge. He firmly maintains his innocence, insisting that he did not kill German and that he was set up for the crime. During cross-examination, Telles' allegations of being framed and police misconduct were not addressed, but there is a possibility that Jappe may be called back to testify by the defense next week.

The murder of Jeff German in September 2022 has sent shockwaves through both the city of Las Vegas and the journalism community. German, renowned for his coverage of Las Vegas mobsters and public officials, was found brutally stabbed in his home. His tragic death stood as the only reported instance of a slain journalist among the 69 news media workers who lost their lives worldwide that year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Prosecutors in Telles' trial argue that Telles had a motive for German's murder, citing critical articles written by German about Telles and a county office in a state of turmoil. They also contend that German was working on another story at the time of his untimely demise. Testimony in the trial began on Wednesday, with the state expected to present its case until Monday.