Back in session: Defense attorney Robert Draskovich cross examination of Dannenberger:
Asking about multiple samples/evidence which had no DNA links between Telles and German.
19th witness: Dan Kulin, worked in county communications office.
Handled records requests, including from German. Prosecutor Weckerly shows 7/13/22 email request from German about communications between Telles & employee he was accused of having inappropriate relationship with.
Weckerly shows 8/8/22 email from Kulin to Telles informing him about German’s records requests. (Turns out Kulin & German previously worked together as reporters at Las Vegas Sun.)
Telles responds saying he’d like to review communications prior to them being sent to German.
Juror question: Do you recall how many times German requested info from you directly?
Kulin: Can’t give number but Jeff was investigative reporter & it was common for him to make public records requests.
20th witness: Roberta Lee-Kennett, the employee Telles was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with.
Worked for county 12-13 years.
Explaining her role in the public administrator’s office. Says Telles made changes in office when elected & changes were divisive.
Says she learned in May of 2022, German was working on a story. Recalls German visiting the office in May of 2022 at the invite of Robert Telles. She refers to Telles as “Rob.”
News story followed interview: says she was upset, embarrassed & relieved. Telles upset. Not happy.
Says Telles hated German. Says a lot of stories followed.Calls stories terrible, intentional, ruined career of Telles & his chances to run for office again. Telles lost primary to Rita Reid, employee against his changes. Telles didn’t come to office as much, worked from home.
She & Telles didn’t communicate as much after he lost primary. She was aware Telles responded to German on Twitter, told him to stop, felt like the more responses, the more articles German would do.
After primary, she learns German requested communications Telles had with her.
Lee-Kennett: sees email about her communications with Telles that would be released to German before Labor Day 2022. This is the weekend German was killed. Recalls seeing news coverage about German’s murder. Reached out to Telles: “Oh my gosh! Mr. German had been murdered…”
Weckerly shows text from Lee-Kennett to Telles, 9/4/22 after 7am: “Oh my goodness, Jeff German died.”
Telles response, “Holy sh**”She responds that it’s all over Twitter.
9/6/22: Text from Lee-Kennett to Telles: Have you received response from Jeff or the DA?
She later sends text, “Rob, wtf, please don’t be driving your Yukon for a while.”
He responds, “That’s crazy.”
She texts, “Please tell me your Yukon is not that color.”
He says it’s similar
Telles responds it’s fine, he didn’t do it.
She expresses that she is worried.
These texts appear to be from 9/6.
Telles asked her to install Trillian app, where messages can disappear.
Break for lunch before cross examination.
Back at 1:15pm.
@Vanessa_Murphy