Salt Lake Metropolis — A person accused of faking his dying and fleeing the U.S. to keep away from rape fees in Utah denied at a courtroom look Tuesday that he’s the suspect and, in an obvious British accent, known as allegations that he wasn’t giving his true identify ”full rumour.”
Nicholas Rossi, whose authorized identify is Nicholas Alahverdian, is charged with the rape of a 21-year-old lady in Orem, Utah, in 2008, prosecutors mentioned. He wasn’t recognized as a suspect till a couple of decade later as a consequence of a backlog of DNA take a look at kits on the Utah State Crime Lab.
KSTU by way of AP, Pool
Rossi, 36, was extradited from Scotland earlier this month.
On the time, reviews CBS Salt Lake Metropolis affiliate KUTV, the prosecutor who first filed fees towards Rossi conveyed his ”heartfelt respect and gratitude to legislation enforcement companies worldwide for his or her unwavering dedication to looking for justice for the victims.” Former Utah County Prosecutor David O. Leavitt mentioned, ”Now, it’s Utah County’s flip to face up for the victims and honor the years of diligent work.”
Rossi recognized himself Tuesday as Arthur Knight Brown and gave a birthdate in British English – itemizing the day first, adopted by the month and yr – that’s completely different from Rossi’s, KSTU-TV reported.
He appeared from jail by way of video carrying an oxygen masks and didn’t enter a plea on the preliminary courtroom look. He was obscure at occasions and needed to carry up the masks to be heard.
Deputy Salt Lake County lawyer Tamara Basuez mentioned Rossi has not admitted his identify or birthdate since he returned to Utah.
”Objection, my woman, that’s full rumour,” Rossi informed the choose.
Rossi is jailed with out the potential of posting bail within the Orem case. The choose set a detention listening to for Jan. 26.
The choose mentioned a lawyer can be appointed for Rossi. He mentioned he has one, however that the lawyer did not obtain discover of Tuesday’s listening to.
Rossi, who grew up in foster houses in Rhode Island, made a reputation for himself there as a vocal critic of the state’s Division of Kids, Youth and Households.
4 years in the past, he informed media in Rhode Island that he had late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had weeks to dwell. An obituary revealed on-line claimed he died Feb. 29, 2020.
He used at the least 10 completely different aliases through the years, prosecutors mentioned.
Authorities mentioned his run from the legislation ended when he was arrested in December 2021 after being acknowledged by somebody at a Glasgow, Scotland, hospital whereas he was being handled for COVID-19. He insisted he was an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight and had by no means set foot on American soil.
The person had mentioned he was framed by authorities who took his fingerprints whereas he was in a coma so they may join him to Rossi. He has repeatedly appeared in courtroom in a wheelchair, utilizing an oxygen masks and talking with the obvious British accent.
After a protracted courtroom battle, Decide Norman McFadyen of Edinburgh Sheriff Court docket dominated in August that the extradition may transfer ahead. The choose known as Rossi ”as dishonest and deceitful as he’s evasive and manipulative.”