Proceedings delayed to allow new legal representation to assess case details.
The extradition hearing for a man suspected to be the US fugitive Nicolas Rossi has been delayed once again, this time for an additional week. The postponement comes after the 35-year-old man appointed a new solicitor to represent him in the proceedings.
The US authorities claim the man is Nicholas Rossi, a wanted criminal who allegedly raped a 21-year-old woman in Utah in 2008 and is also accused of multiple sexual assaults across the United States. However, the individual, who now goes by the name Arthur Knight, denies the allegations, insisting he is a victim of mistaken identity and has never set foot in America.
The accused appeared remotely at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Wednesday, joining the session via video link from HMP Edinburgh where he remains in custody after being denied bail last month. His newly appointed solicitor, David Kinloch, requested that the hearing be delayed by another week, citing his limited knowledge of the case. Kinloch further revealed he had applied for funding from the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) to bring in junior counsel with more expertise on the matter.
Kinloch described the information he had received from the man as “haphazard” and noted that he had not been given the chance to review the previous case documents. Additionally, the alleged fugitive attempted to raise concerns about his medical treatment at HMP Edinburgh, but both he and his lawyer agreed that this was not the appropriate setting for such discussions. The man had previously claimed that his oxygen levels were insufficient, although these claims were later found to be unsubstantiated.
According to prosecutors, the man faked his death and fled to Scotland in order to avoid facing rape charges in the United States. He failed to attend an earlier extradition hearing, which resulted in his remand in custody. The extradition hearing has now been scheduled to continue on August 18, with the individual remaining in custody until then.
