Plea deal withdrawn for Nicholas Rossi who faces two rape charges
Jan 7, 2025, 2:29 PM | Updated: Jan 8, 2025, 10:15 am
FILE - Nicholas Rossi leaves Edinburgh Sheriff And Justice Of The Peace Court after an extradition hearing, in Edinburgh, July 12, 2022. Scottish authorities signed an extradition order for an American fugitive accused of faking his own death to avoid a rape charge in Utah. (Andrew Milligan/PA via Associated Press)
(Andrew Milligan/PA via Associated Press)
PROVO — The legal battle surrounding Nicholas Rossi, the man accused of raping two women in Utah in 2008, has reached a pivotal moment.
A plea deal, which could have resolved the cases, is no longer on the table after Rossi failed to accept it by today’s final deadline.
“My understanding is that there were ongoing settlement discussions, have those been fruitful or do you need the trial date?” Judge Derek P. Pullan, Fourth District Court Judge in Utah asked during a hearing Tuesday. “Your honor, unfortunately, they haven’t been fruitful,” Rossi’s defense attorney Daniel Diaz responded.
Rossi, who was arrested in Scotland in 2021 is charged with rape, a first-degree felony, in both Orem and South Salt Lake, with the allegations stemming from 2008. He was connected to the Utah County case following a sexual assault kit initiative in 2018. A woman in Salt Lake County then spoke to police after seeing news of his extradition, initiating the other case.
Rossi initially claimed mistaken identity, telling authorities his name was Arthur Knight, but then in October while requesting bail, he admitted to the Utah court that he faked his death and fled the country in 2017 due to threats on his life.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Rossi appeared virtually before the court wearing an oxygen mask and holding an oxygen tank. He’ll make his next appearance in the Orem case in person, for a hearing on March 11, at 8:30 a.m., where arguments will be heard regarding the state’s witness list for trial which is scheduled for September.
Before that trial, Rossi will go to trial in April for the South Salt Lake rape charge.
“I understand then that all settlement discussions are ended, we are trying the case, correct?” Judge Pullan asked. “That is correct your honor, the state withdrew any plea offer with the understanding it will not be offered again,” Deputy Utah County Attorney Stephen Jones.
