A seasoned journalist suffered a fatal assault outside his residence. Subsequently, his news outlet is assigned to report on the presumed perpetrator's court proceedings.
The unexpected predicament that the newspaper and its team have been dealing with for approximately two years now stems from the arrest and charging of Telles, a 47-year-old ex-administrator from Clark County, in connection with the tragic stabbing of Review-Journal investigative journalist Jeff German. The unexpected and shocking demise of the dedicated journalist occurred after he had spent several months diving into internal strife and accusations of misconduct within Telles' office. Despite his assertions of innocence, Telles faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison if found guilty.
Newsrooms have become accustomed to enduring pain and loss, dispatching reporters to conflict zones, conversing with victims and suspects of unspeakable crimes, and confronting threats to their personal safety. However, providing objective coverage of a fellow journalist's murder within their own backyard is a challenging task, even for the most experienced professionals. For the Review-Journal, this challenging assignment has become their new normal.
“German’s reporting exposed a manager accused of bullying, retaliation, and creating a hostile work environment, as well as engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a female colleague,” mentioned Rhonda Prast, a former Review-Journal editor who oversaw the investigative team's probe after German's passing, at the 2021 IRE conference.
Telles' defeat in the Democratic primary following German's reporting brought an end to his tenure in public office. Subsequent to the election, Telles published an aggressive missive on his website denouncing the Review-Journal and its reporting, refuting the allegations made in German's reports.
In the aftermath of German's discovery outside his residence, Review-Journal journalists, still reeling from the grisly crime, set out to uncover his killer and wrap up his unfinished work.
The investigation involved meticulously examining German's reporting in search of clues, eventually identifying a vehicle associated with the crime scene, which led to Telles' arrest and charging with murder.
“During those initial days, the [investigative] team never stopped. We had to trace Jeff’s sources because he had not shared that information,” Prast shared. “Some were found through his emails. I discovered one source in Jeff’s email trash. Briana [Erickson] and Art [Kane] followed up on sources and worked through piles of printed records Jeff had at home.”
Briana Erickson, a former Review-Journal investigative reporter, aimed to carry on German's legacy by revisiting the various stages of Telles' life, delving into a decade of reportedly toxic and bullying behavior that had not raised concerns at the institutions that held him accountable, she revealed at the IRE conference.
The newspaper delved into Telles' past, retrieving 911 calls from his ex-wife and unearthing footage of his past arrest on domestic battery charges.
In the midst of their coverage of German's murder, the Review-Journal prioritized protecting the slain journalist's privacy and sources. During the police investigation, authorities retrieved German's phone, four computers, and an external hard drive from his home.
“Justice for Jeff is our top priority. However, his numerous confidential sources for stories MUST be protected,” Keith Moyer, the Review-Journal's publisher and editor, emphasized on social media.
Although the Nevada Supreme Court upheld a state law shielding journalists from being compelled to reveal their sources, the Review-Journal ultimately provided the prosecution, defense attorneys, and law enforcement with the majority of data from German's phone in May.
In the week preceding Telles' trial, the Review-Journal published a series of articles focusing on the trial and German's illustrious career. These pieces, written by investigations editor Arthur Kane and court reporter Katelyn Newberg, highlighted German as a daring investigative journalist skilled in navigating organized crime figures in Sin City and dedicated to his work. The Review-Journal also established a “Remembering Jeff German” memorial on its website, which houses all of the reporting about the deceased journalist since his demise in 2022.
As the trial commenced, the Review-Journal ensured that its audience remained informed, moving the story to the newspaper's front page and offering a live stream of the trial on its website.
Covering tragedies is a frequent task for journalists, but when the victim is a colleague, the assignment becomes even more challenging, stated Katherine Jacobsen, who oversees the US, Canada, and the Caribbean for the CPJ.
“But what journalists are really good at, I think, is putting on their reporting hats and, for better or worse, processing later and reporting first,” Jacobsen told CNN. “I have the utmost respect for the measured approach that newsrooms like the Las Vegas Review-Journal take when dealing with such challenging topics.”
The Review-Journal declined to comment for this story, citing the ongoing trial.
“We'll allow our reporting to speak for us until then,” said Glenn Cook, the Review-Journal executive editor and senior vice president for news.
As Telles' fate is left in the hands of the jury, the newspaper's team joins the ranks of other newsrooms that have been compelled to navigate the trauma afflicting their own personnel. Since 1992, 14 journalists have been killed in the US, with the most recent fatality being a TV reporter shot and killed in Florida last year while reporting on an earlier shooting, according to the CPJ.
Over the past few months, The Wall Street Journal engaged in a public advocacy effort to secure the freedom of reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was unjustly imprisoned in Russia for an astounding 491 days. During his incarceration, his comrades at work kept the flame of hope burning, highlighting his predicament on the front page, organizing read-a-thons, worldwide runs, and social media buzz to bring light to their colleague's situation.
Some time ago, The Washington Post implemented a vigorous reporting strategy during the disappearance and brutal assassination of Saudi journalist and occasional contributor Jamal Khashoggi. While Khashoggi was still believed to be missing, The Post published numerous articles describing the events surrounding the reporter's disappearance, and later played a crucial role in exposing the truth behind the journalist's tragic demise.
Regrettably, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas persists, at least nine journalists working for the Al Jazeera television network have lost their lives in the intense clashes. Unwaveringly, the Qatar-sponsored outlet has not hesitated to denounce the deaths of its journalists and photographers, placing blame on Israel's military in strong-worded statements.
Given the inherent demands of the profession, journalists are frequently called upon to report on the deaths of their own peers just as they would on other routine happenings in their communities. A particularly difficult and emotional undertaking.
Posting Katsilometes, a columnist for The Review-Journal, in response to German's passing, aptly remarked, "It's Jeff - the one most suited to cover this story. He's the one we'd turn to in situations like this."
The Review-Journal faced criticism from Telles after his defeat in the Democratic primary, with him publishing a missive denouncing the newspaper and its reporting on his misconduct. In the media landscape, businesses such as The Review-Journal must navigate delicate situations to protect their sources and ensure objective reporting.
