A wanted individual, who allegedly pretended to die to evade rape allegations in Utah, was eventually located in a Covid unit in Scotland and has now been transferred to the United States.
Authorities in Utah are currently searching for Nicholas Rossi, 36, on charges of raping a woman in 2008. Additionally, he is facing accusations of domestic violence in Rhode Island.
On Friday, Police Scotland announced that they had helped other organizations in extraditing a 36-year-old man. This marks the end of a lengthy legal process to hold Rossi accountable for his actions.
It is believed that Rossi goes by multiple names, but he has consistently maintained that this is a case of mistaken identity. He claims to be an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight who has never been to the US. However, a court ruled in November that he is indeed Rossi.
During multiple court hearings, Rossi has consistently caused disruptions and received criticism from the judges presiding over the case. He has fired his lawyers on at least six occasions and has made allegations that he was tortured while in prison. On occasions when he has not claimed to be too ill to attend court, he has shown up in a wheelchair and wearing an oxygen mask.
In September, a final decision was made by Scottish ministers to allow Rossi’s extradition to the US to face charges. Despite his appeal, he was unsuccessful in December.
During the hearing, Dr. Barbara Mundweil, Rossi’s general practitioner at HMP Edinburgh, stated that he did not exhibit any indications of acute mental illness. She also mentioned that she had no significant concerns regarding his overall health.
Mundweil stated that Rossi had no justification for utilizing an electric wheelchair, as his legs were described as “strong and athletic.”
In December 2021, Rossi was initially noticed by Scottish officials when he voluntarily admitted himself to a hospital in Glasgow for treatment of Covid-19. After examining his tattoos and comparing them to images on an Interpol red notice, medical personnel and law enforcement determined that he was indeed Rossi.
During the November 2022 hearing to confirm Rossi’s identity, the Edinburgh sheriff court determined that his tattoos and fingerprints were a match.
However, Rossi asserted that someone had tampered with his fingerprints and that he was given a tattoo while he was unconscious in the hospital to make him look like the person who was being sought.
Rossi was released on bail again on Thursday as investigations are ongoing following his October arrest for a 2017 rape accusation in Chelmsford, Essex.
Source: theguardian.com
