The Las Vegas politician accused of killing a journalist has claimed he was “framed” for the murder of Jeff German.
Robert Telles, 46, made the assertion from behind bars after requesting a prison interview with TV station KLAS.
“I need to say that I’m innocent and I was framed,” Mr Telles said from the Clark County Detention Center.
He is accused of killing The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s investigative reporter in September 2022 after the journalist had run stories exposing issues inside the public administrator’s office.
Following the reports, which also included allegations of an affair, Mr Telles lost the Democratic primary for his office.
German was found stabbed to death outside his Las Vegas home on 3 September and Mr Telles was arrested after his DNA was found at the scene.
Video footage also showed a similar-looking individual near the crime scene, as well as his own car.
“Mr German is tragically murdered and now I’m here,” Mr Telles told the TV station.
He went on to claim that while in office he was in the process of exposing a scheme in which individuals would try and obtain properties of the deceased before their families could.
Mr Telles was asked by the station’s Venessa Murphy about the evidence that investigators had presented against him.
“Right, so again, as far as the vehicle goes, there is a vehicle that looks like mine. As far as any other evidence goes, as far as when it may have been planted, I couldn’t say. Again, I know it’s an incredible story. But that is the story,” he said.
The journalist then responded that he appeared to be “grasping at straws here because you know about evidence against you.”
Mr Telles then insisted that he “I’m telling you the truth.”
And he added: “Again, at this point, I’m coming out with the truth because I’ve had to sit and wait for some time to speak out just because my counsel advised I shouldn’t say anything whatsoever.”
Mr Telles has been charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon and faces trial in November.
