Nicholas Rossi appears at preliminary hearing in rape trial

SALT LAKE CITY – Nicholas Rossi, once one of the world's most wanted fugitives, returned to a Salt Lake City courtroom Thursday for a preliminary hearing in his rape trial.

During the brief hearing, only a sex crimes investigator from the Utah Department of Public Safety took the stand to discuss details of the case.

Salt Lake Tribune

The judge later scheduled an arraignment and bail hearing for October 17.

Rossi's previous appearances in Utah courtrooms had made headlines in their own right, and a judge even issued a reasonable use of force order earlier this year to ensure he actually showed up.

Rossi, whose real name is Nicholas Alahverdian, was extradited from Scotland in January, years after he allegedly faked his own death and fled to Europe. Rossi left the U.S. after being identified as a suspect in a rape case in Orem in 2008.

In several court appearances in Utah this year, Rossi wore a British accent that was heard in and out of context, and claimed that his real name was Arthur Knight and that he was not the man authorities were looking for.

Salt Lake Tribune

Rossi did the same on Thursday, correcting the judge and insisting that he be called Arthur Knight.

At a virtual hearing in January, court officials could not understand Rossi because he insisted on speaking with an oxygen mask.

“Objection, my lady!” Rossi replied. “This is pure hearsay and I would like to ask Her Ladyship and the prosecution to explain to me why I…” before he was interrupted by the judge.

Before being repatriated to the United States, Rossi claimed he was actually an Irish orphan and that authorities had framed him by taking his fingerprints while he was in a coma in order to link him to Rossi.