LAS VEGAS (KTNV — There are new revelations about the murder of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German, just weeks ahead of the trial of murder suspect Robert Telles.
On Friday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Senior Crime Scene Analyst Jennifer Manning provided testimony on her role during the murder investigation.
Channel 13 was the only media present in the courtroom.
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Manning is unavailable for trial so her testimony was preserved and will be shown to a jury during Telles’ trial.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly first questioned Manning about her role at Metro and the process she goes through during an autopsy.
Then, Manning was questioned specifically on Jeff German’s autopsy. Several pictures taken of German’s body and clothes he was wearing when he was found dead were presented in the courtroom.
Manning said along with her, there were two Metro detectives and a forensic technician from the coroner’s office during the autopsy. She testified that everyone handling the body wears personal protective equipment and uses sanitized tools to impound any evidence.
Several photographs of German’s shirt that he was wearing at the time his body was found were shown. Manning said there were several cuts to the front and back of that shirt and there were also maggots on it.
Just a few days after German’s body was found, Manning also testified that she took pictures of Telles and said she noticed injuries on his hands, including a bruise on the front of his right arm.
Pictures of Telles were also shown in court, including several photos of Telles’ hand, particularly a scar on his left ring finger.
Telles was seen in court wearing plain clothes.
“Generally, we want our clients to look presentable,” said defense attorney Robert Draskovich, who is representing Telles. “During trial, he will wear a suit or a sweater and a white, collared shirt every day.”
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Draskovich cross-examined Manning, calling into question the analysis that was done on the cuts found on German’s shirt.
“I wanted to develop the fact that these cuts that were found, that Mr. German was wearing, were never analyzed,” Draskovich said. “We don’t know what made those cuts. There were no comparisons from anything that was seized from Mr. Telles’ home. I thought that was a fairly large hole in the state’s case.”
Police have previously said the most crucial evidence is Telles’ DNA, which was found under German’s finger nails.
“That is the strongest piece of evidence the state is going to present through the course of trial and we intend on challenging that evidence,” Draskovich said. “We have consulted with a number of experts in reference to that and we’re preparing our defenses now.”
Telles is due back in court Tuesday. His trial is scheduled for March 18.
