US fugitive Nicholas Rossi to stand trial for rape after plea deal withdrawn A US fugitive who fought extradition from Scotland after claiming to be the victim of mistaken identity will go on trial accused of rape after prosecutors in Utah withdrew their offer of a plea deal.
Rossi, who appeared via prison videolink, is now scheduled to go on trial for the Salt Lake County case in April and the Orem case in September.
Nicholas Rossi was sent back to the US last year following a lengthy court battle in which he claimed to be an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight who had never set foot in America.
Rossi is accused of raping a 21-year-old woman in Orem in 2008 and raping a 26-year-old woman in Salt Lake County during the same year.
At a hearing in Provo on Tuesday in regards to the Orem case, fourth district judge Derek P Pullan asked: "My understanding is that there were ongoing settlement discussions.
