LAS VEGAS (KTNV — The Las Vegas Review-Journal is objecting to a proposed court order regarding the search of murdered journalist Jeff German's devices.
German was found stabbed to death outside his home on Sept. 3. Former Clark County public administrator Robert Telles was arrested days later and accused of murdering the journalist. He is serving as his own counsel in the criminal case against him.
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In processing the scene, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department found an iPhone, an external hard drive and four computers that the Review-Journal said included sources, research, interview notes, draft articles, and other information related to German's job as a reporter.
Police and the Las Vegas Review-Journal have been divided on how to search those devices. According to court documents, over two years worth of material was on the devices. The Review-Journal said right now, they know a phone was searched but don't know the extent except "Metro's representation that 'legally obtained data from German's phone' supported probable cause to search Telles' home."
The Review-Journal and LVMPD filed competing proposed orders. Police and prosecutors want to search the devices themselves, while the Review-Journal and Telles filed a joint order asking for third-party special masters to conduct an independent search.
In its repeated opposition to police and prosecutors searching the devices, the Review-Journal has argued law enforcement searching the devices would put German's sources at risk since the investigative reporter's contacts among those agencies would be exposed.
"It is not realistic to believe that, in tight-knit institutions such as Metro and the District Attorney's Office, leaks will not occur," court documents stated.
A new proposed court order was sent to both parties on Friday. However, it's unclear if the order was sent to Telles. In its latest filing on Monday, the Review-Journal outlined several objections to the new order:
- The proposed order violates their rights under the Nevada new shield statute.
- The proposed order "misstates the terms" on what the Review-Journal agreed to in terms of giving up some of their rights and privileges.
- The proposed order "contains conflicting language that creates a lack of clarity."
- The proposed order allows evidence to be used in the civil and criminal case but the order shouldn't be entered in the criminal proceeding because it would "unnecessarily waste the parties' resources."
The Nevada Supreme Court's temporary injunction order is set to expire on Friday.
