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00:17it's the first day of the first rape trial of Nicholas Rossi proving a rape case is hard
00:25the defendant has entered a plea of not guilty Nicholas Rossi moved away and changed his name
00:32but Melissa never forgot what he had done in September 2008 she met Nicholas Rossi online
00:38and he made a good impression on her there's a pattern to Nicholas Rossi's behavior with women
00:44her and Mr. Rossi had broke up that's when she did disclose to us that she had been raped by
00:50him
00:51I think he's pure evil he loves to hurt women he wanted to make a report that he had been
00:57raped by
00:58his girlfriend we found he has victims strewn all over the country wherever he's gone there are
01:05victims and they're all saying the same thing he's a predator and I should have been the last one
01:12but once he realized that the law is catching up with him he fled
01:17at that point the prospect of Nicholas Rossi actually ever being caught was quite low
01:26the thing about Nick he's so smart but boy you peel back a couple layers of that onion
01:31he's the devil I was terrified let's just say at the time I didn't know there could be rape in
01:38a
01:38parent people can fool people there are monsters out there that hide it very well
01:44where are you hiding from me
01:48stop ignoring me
01:50no no
01:51no
01:52no
01:52no
01:52no
01:52no
01:53no
01:53no
02:01no
02:04no
02:05no
02:22the jury are going to wrestle with the fact that it's taken her 14 years to come forward
02:27that there's no DNA evidence that it's basically Rossi's word against her word and the fact that they
02:35they were in a relationship they were in a sexual relationship
02:38the only two people that know really if it was consensual is is Rossi who said that it was
02:45and Melissa who said that it wasn't
02:48that makes these cases really hard to prove because because jurors when they're going in they're not just wrestling
02:56with the evidence that they have heard they're wrestling with the cultural biases that they have that they didn't know
03:04they had
03:08the evidence that they have that come across it
03:09now let me ask you some general questions what is a rape myth
03:14what is a rape myth so the way i would describe a rape myth is to say that it is
03:20a more or less commonly held belief that is either entirely false or largely false
03:29One rape myth would be that most rapes are perpetrated by strangers.
03:35Why is that a myth?
03:36The best evidence that we have after interviewing thousands of survivors is that most sexual assaults are actually perpetrated by
03:50someone the victim knows.
03:51What's another myth?
03:53Another one would be that they are hurt in the process and immediately report the rape afterwards.
04:01But the reality is that the majority never report.
04:05But of those who report, there are delays as long as weeks, months, and in some cases, years.
04:13Do people all react the same way after a sexual assault?
04:17No. People respond in such a wide range of ways.
04:23Some are quite composed.
04:26Some resist.
04:27Some fight back.
04:29Some run away.
04:31That journey, how long it takes, and what it looks like for each survivor, can be a very different thing.
04:41There is no doubt that Nicholas Rossi has many, many victims.
04:47There's only a few that have come forward.
04:50I think what played in the minds of the woman that didn't come forward very soon after he sexually assaulted
04:58them was fear.
05:10I'm Catherine, and I was married to Nick back in 2015 and 2016.
05:21I grew up here in Dayton, Ohio, and my parents raised me to go to church, the Church of Jesus
05:29Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Mormon.
05:32And they have a singles group in the area.
05:37When I first started going to the singles ward, I was quite nervous.
05:42I, you know, scanned the crowd, and there was this one young man sitting by himself, so I chose to
05:49sit near him, and we just started talking.
05:53Conversation at first was kind of awkward as we found stuff in common to talk about, but we slowly grew
06:01to have a connection.
06:06We would hang out, go on a date, and it got to the point where I was enjoying my time
06:11with him so much that I moved in with him.
06:16It was the day after I moved in with Nick that he had suggested to get married, and he didn't
06:25propose or anything.
06:26He just said, hey, let's get married.
06:29And so I agreed.
06:31I said yes.
06:33So the next day, we went to the courthouse and got married.
06:38We didn't tell anybody.
06:42Woke up the next day and, you know, remembered, oh, I got married yesterday.
06:48Let's see how this goes.
06:50But it was that day that things completely changed.
06:55Nick became a completely different person.
06:58The kind demeanor and temperament that he had, it was gone.
07:04That also was the first day he put his hands on me.
07:12One time, Nick came to Rhode Island.
07:15He came in from Dayton, Ohio, and I met his new wife, Catherine, and he wanted to take myself and
07:21my wife out to dinner.
07:23We were there for about four hours.
07:25The bill had to be about $1,200.
07:27And before I can pay the bill, Nick grabbed the waitress, gave the credit card.
07:31And it gave me goosebumps.
07:32I said, wow, I've known this kid since he was 14.
07:35He's had such a troubled life in and out of group homes, foster homes.
07:38But it seemed like he made such a strong comeback.
07:43When we were parting ways with his wife, Catherine, and Nick, and, you know, I embraced him out in front
07:48of the restaurant.
07:49I said, Nick, I'm proud of you.
07:50It's great.
07:52Catherine was such a sweetheart.
07:53I got such a warm feeling for her.
07:55Even my wife said, wow, what a beautiful couple.
07:58And then, you know, a few months passed, and it was all downhill from there.
08:02I mean, like a plane that just spirals out of control, that can't stop pulling up on the stick.
08:08This was going to crash and burn.
08:12It became verbally, physically, and sexually abusive.
08:19Let's just say at the time, I didn't know there could be rape in a marriage.
08:31The hitting, the punching, fighting happened almost daily.
08:39One day, it got extremely heated.
08:43I was clawing for my life against him.
08:46I had his skin under my fingernails because he was restraining me.
08:50He wouldn't let me go.
08:53And he got me cornered in the bathroom.
08:56He had my phone, and he locked me in.
09:01That was days that I was in that bathroom.
09:09I didn't have my phone to call for help.
09:11I didn't have food.
09:12I had water.
09:18When I was in the bathroom, I was thinking,
09:20this is my reality now, and it's terrifying.
09:38A couple days later,
09:45he opened the door to let me out,
09:47and I finally was able to get out the front door.
09:50And as soon as that door opened and there were neighbors around,
09:54he just stopped and immediately drew back.
09:58And I finally was able to call the police.
10:08My name is Patrick O'Connell.
10:09I was a police officer for 30 years.
10:11I was a detective for almost two decades of that.
10:15I first came across Nicholas Rossi in November of 2015.
10:21This is where we had Road Patrol and myself that responded to the domestic violence call involving Nicholas Rossi and
10:28Catherine.
10:32Here's the residence.
10:36Nicholas Rossi was very submissive to me.
10:38He tried to talk around and make blame.
10:42I didn't do that.
10:43I would never do that.
10:44I love her.
10:45He tried to portray himself as very highly educated and proper,
10:49but it appeared to be a front to me.
10:54Catherine described that within these walls of this house,
10:57she was physically assaulted, verbally assaulted,
11:01called names,
11:02held captive in a bathroom for a day or two at a time.
11:10I started doing a background investigation on Mr. Rossi.
11:15I learned that he had been convicted of sex crimes here in Montgomery County at a college campus,
11:21and he was a sexual offender and had to register with our office at the sheriff's office.
11:27And so I made contact with Catherine,
11:31and I told her that I had learned some information.
11:34It was concerning.
11:42Detective O'Connell
11:45was the first person
11:49I had contact with
11:51who knew
11:53what I was going through.
11:58Not even my family knew at that point.
12:02You know, him coming up to the house
12:04and talking to me, you know, through a window.
12:09To say that he's afraid I'll be
12:11either chained up in the basement
12:13or dead next time.
12:15That was an eye-opener.
12:26So a few more months go by,
12:28and I get a call from Catherine.
12:31She goes,
12:32I just want to let you know that
12:35Nick abused me.
12:36He tied me to a bed.
12:38He locked me in a bathroom.
12:40And I just, like,
12:42this is Catherine,
12:44Nick's wife?
12:46I couldn't believe this was the same kid.
12:48I said, well, be careful.
12:50She goes, I've been recording him.
12:56I needed proof.
12:58And that was so hard to get
13:00because Nick would never act these ways
13:02in front of other people.
13:05So when I knew he was about to be home
13:09or he was walking in the door,
13:10I pulled my phone out
13:11and I start recording.
13:14Where are you hiding from me?
13:17Give me your phone.
13:18I did something I never had done before.
13:22I said, no.
13:24Stop ignoring me!
13:27I knew if he got my phone
13:30and saw the recording,
13:33I don't want to think about
13:35what would happen.
13:37So I had to do everything in my power
13:39not to let him get my phone.
13:41No, stop it!
13:42No! No!
13:44No!
13:46I would not let it go.
13:47This was my chance to get out.
13:50Stop!
13:53Ow!
13:54Ow!
13:55What are you doing?
13:56Then let me out!
13:58As I was running away,
14:00I sent the recording to my dad
14:01and I deleted it from my phone.
14:05Ow!
14:06Ow!
14:07What are you doing?
14:08Then let me out!
14:12It sounds like a movie.
14:14I think that guy right there
14:16is going to cause harm to somebody.
14:18Specifically a woman.
14:21She must have been petrified.
14:24You know?
14:28That's...
14:29I've never heard that before.
14:34I had nothing.
14:37But I got out.
14:39I didn't go back.
14:43Domestic violence is difficult
14:45to prosecute.
14:46But I didn't stop
14:48looking into him
14:49because then we got
14:50a follow-up case
14:51on a fraud
14:52in my office.
14:53And I thought,
14:53well, if we could get him on that.
14:55So we contacted
14:56some of our
14:57co-workers
14:58that are at the FBI.
15:00And then the chase
15:00was on ever since then.
15:06Driving down Route 44
15:08and my phone's ringing.
15:10So I pull over.
15:11I said,
15:12hello, can I help you?
15:13And he says,
15:13yes,
15:14this is special agent
15:15so-and-so
15:16with the FBI.
15:18And I said to him,
15:19I said,
15:19you're the FBI.
15:22And you're calling me?
15:24I said,
15:24you can't catch him,
15:25the FBI?
15:26He says,
15:27this kid is so good.
15:28He's pinging an address
15:29in one state
15:30when he's in another state.
15:32The kind of mind
15:33may have Leonardo DiCaprio
15:35catch me if you can
15:36in the movie,
15:37but we all root for
15:39Leonardo DiCaprio
15:39where Nick was
15:40more of a villain.
15:42The initial
15:43federal allegations
15:44against Nick
15:46involves credit card fraud.
15:48Sometimes he'd try
15:49to pay over the credit
15:50card and it wouldn't
15:51go through
15:51and he'd get aggravated
15:52and he'd be giving you
15:52different cards
15:53with different names on it
15:54and you'd be busy
15:55and you'd be trying
15:55to tell him,
15:56listen,
15:56I'll try and help you
15:57in a minute,
15:58but then he'd get
15:58really, really nasty.
16:00You know what I mean?
16:01And I'd just tell him,
16:01listen,
16:01shut your fucking mouth.
16:03Sorry for cursing me.
16:04That's what you'd
16:04tell him.
16:04You know what I mean?
16:05He had taken money
16:07from so many people,
16:09countless people,
16:11even his foster parents.
16:13The federal authorities
16:16claimed that Nick
16:18had taken out
16:1920 credit cards
16:21in his foster father's name
16:23to a tune of $200,000.
16:30The Nicholas Rossi case
16:32required so many people
16:34from multiple agencies
16:35to act together
16:37to make this work.
16:40the likelihood
16:41of there being
16:43such collaboration
16:45locally,
16:45not to mention nationally
16:47and not to mention
16:48internationally,
16:49was quite low.
16:50All righty.
16:51State's next witness.
16:53The state would call
16:53Detective Derek Coates
16:55to the stand.
16:56All right,
16:57Detective Coates,
16:57I'm going to stand
16:57in front of my clerk
16:58and raise the right hand
16:59so we can administer
17:00the oath.
17:02Derek Coates
17:03is really one
17:04of the unsung heroes.
17:05There is no
17:06Nicholas Rossi case
17:07without this kind
17:09of dogged effort
17:10to investigate
17:11and follow him
17:12all over the world.
17:13Tell us a little bit
17:14about yourself.
17:15So I have been
17:17in law enforcement
17:18for a little over 30 years.
17:20And how long
17:21did you work
17:22on this case?
17:23Initially,
17:24about a year
17:26before I took it
17:27over formally
17:28and full-time.
17:31Derek Coates
17:32pieced together
17:33pieces of fabric
17:35that typically
17:35don't get pieced together.
17:37I was looking
17:38at organizations
17:39that had had contact
17:40with Mr. Rossi,
17:42gathering,
17:42compiling information
17:43that related to him.
17:45He looked at
17:45every governmental agency
17:47that investigated
17:48Nicholas Rossi.
17:50What is the general nature
17:51of these photographs?
17:52So these photographs
17:53are of the individual
17:54I know to be
17:56Nicholas Rossi,
17:57and they are
17:58progressive over the years
18:00as to what he's looked like.
18:01Do you know
18:02when that photograph
18:03was taken?
18:04In 2010.
18:06He changed his appearance
18:07a lot.
18:09And he moved
18:10from state
18:11to state
18:12to state.
18:13Once he realized
18:14that the net
18:16was closing in on him,
18:17he left.
18:18And he did that
18:20in a bid
18:20to escape justice.
18:23To connect
18:24one law enforcement agency
18:25to another
18:26takes some ability
18:27to be able
18:28to convey
18:28a larger message
18:29about why
18:30this person's
18:31a risk
18:31to other people.
18:33And Derek Coates
18:34was able
18:35to do that
18:36successfully.
18:38My understanding
18:39is the significance
18:39of these photos
18:40is that the photos
18:41not only were
18:42associated with
18:43the year
18:43but also a location.
18:45Is that right?
18:45Yeah.
18:46And then ultimately
18:47that location
18:49search
18:49led you to
18:51an individual
18:52by the name
18:52of Arthur Knight.
18:53Okay.
18:54And who did you believe
18:54Arthur Knight to be?
18:55I believed Arthur Knight
18:57to actually be
18:57Nicholas Rossi.
19:01The lead detective
19:02on the case
19:03had got a warrant
19:05to access
19:05Rossi's
19:06iCloud account
19:07and as well as that
19:08he had access
19:09to his
19:09bank accounts
19:10and through those
19:12it was as plain as day
19:14that Rossi
19:15was in the UK.
19:27The lead detective
19:29then started
19:30looking at
19:31getting an
19:32interval red notice
19:33put together.
19:34It was basically
19:35a global alert
19:36for the arrest
19:37of Nicholas Rossi.
19:41An American man
19:43who's wanted
19:43in the US
19:44over a rape charge
19:45has been arrested.
19:47A man arrested
19:49on a COVID ward
19:50in a Glasgow hospital
19:51accused by US
19:52authorities
19:53of being a fugitive
19:54who faked
19:55his own death
19:56to evade justice.
19:59He said
20:00he was Arthur Knight
20:01a victim
20:01of mistaken identity
20:03an orphan
20:04from Ireland.
20:04I got a text message
20:06on my phone
20:08he's alive
20:10Interpol got him
20:11and he's in Scotland
20:13he's got COVID
20:15he's in bad shape
20:16he may not make it.
20:18I got an email
20:20from a reporter
20:21from Scotland
20:22who said
20:24have you ever heard
20:25of the name
20:25Nicholas Rossi?
20:27I was just
20:29shocked
20:29I said
20:30well yeah
20:31I know there's
20:31a Nicholas Rossi
20:32who supposedly
20:34died
20:35back in 2020
20:37gee
20:37maybe he didn't
20:39this is the man
20:40the Americans
20:41want to extradite
20:42they say he's
20:43Nicholas Rossi
20:44born Nicholas
20:45Aliverdian
20:46but he claimed
20:47he was really
20:48this guy
20:49Arthur Knight
20:50who are you?
20:51I am Arthur Knight
20:52an Irish orphan
20:53this victim
20:55of Miss Identity
20:57he's now on bail
20:58he's now on bail
20:58in Scotland
20:59following the start
21:00of extradition
21:01proceedings against him
21:02he was on the news
21:03constantly
21:03are you Nicholas Rossi?
21:05no
21:05the accent was fake
21:07the wheelchair was fake
21:09the mask was fake
21:10I knew he was lying
21:12he was trying
21:13to get off
21:14I knew it was Nick
21:16right away
21:16the evil eyes
21:18the chubby fingers
21:19I think it was
21:20very intentional
21:21the face mask
21:23the wheelchair
21:25well that could be
21:26somebody
21:26who was trying
21:27to obscure
21:28parts of their feature
21:30from the people
21:31that knew him best
21:33I still believed
21:34he had passed away
21:35in all honesty
21:36I defended him
21:37at first
21:38I said that
21:38can't be him
21:39the slight resemblance
21:40but
21:41the mannerisms
21:42and the weight
21:43kind of
21:45throw me off
21:46a little bit
21:47there's just
21:48a lot of confusion
21:49like why would
21:50he do that?
21:52and then
21:53there's Miranda
21:55I'm Arthur Knight
21:58and this is my life
21:59Miranda Knight
22:02we got married
22:03in Bristol
22:04the couple
22:05say they moved
22:06to Glasgow
22:07after leaving
22:07Bristol in 2021
22:09Miranda
22:10was with
22:11Rossi
22:12all the time
22:14I mean
22:16Miranda
22:16was unwavering
22:17in her support
22:18she called him
22:19Arthur
22:20I know
22:21my husband
22:22does not have
22:23tendencies
22:24as a rapist
22:26Miranda
22:27her motivation
22:29for standing
22:30by
22:31Nick
22:32no one really
22:33knows
22:35she was very
22:37caring
22:37to her husband
22:38no question
22:39of that
22:40doing everything
22:41for him
22:42can I try to
22:42send him
22:43yeah
22:43I'll be here
22:45and I can hold you
22:49I find that
22:50very difficult
22:51I have to hold
22:52his full weight
22:53right
22:53yeah
22:54let's
22:54yeah
22:54we see
22:56this is a woman
22:57who is standing
22:58by her man
22:59for whatever reason
23:00she hasn't been
23:01charged with any crime
23:02but of course
23:03it's the intriguing
23:04element
23:04of why
23:06this woman
23:07seems
23:08to be
23:09supporting
23:10a guy
23:11that a lot
23:11of other women
23:12allege
23:13was not a nice guy
23:15my theory is
23:16that Nick
23:17was able to
23:18convince her
23:19that he was being
23:20framed in the
23:21United States
23:21that he was being
23:23set up in Utah
23:24and maybe had
23:25convinced Miranda
23:27that that was
23:28going on
23:29and she willingly
23:30helped him
23:34we had a number
23:36for you know
23:36his wife Miranda
23:37I said I'm James
23:39Matthews from Sky News
23:40I said we're
23:41covering your story
23:42and we'd like to
23:43conduct an interview
23:44with you
23:44he was up for it
23:45and we duly
23:47made arrangements
23:50clearly
23:51Nicholas Aliverdian
23:52had a past
23:53so we
23:54interrogated that past
23:55as far as we could
23:57and it took us to
23:58Brian Coogan
23:59he almost adopted
24:00him at one stage
24:01so we thought
24:02if anybody
24:03knows
24:04Nicholas Rossi
24:05Nicholas Aliverdian
24:06it's Brian Coogan
24:08all the people
24:10in Scotland
24:11were calling me
24:11all the reporters
24:13and Tom Mooney
24:14had called me
24:15and says hey
24:15would you like
24:16to come down
24:16to my office
24:17and Sky News
24:18is interviewing
24:19Nick in his house
24:20would you like
24:20to confront him
24:21I said I would
24:22love to confront him
24:23I would love it
24:24we went to this flat
24:27in Glasgow
24:30we sat down
24:31with Arthur Knight
24:37and our producer
24:38she raised
24:39Brian Coogan
24:40on FaceTime
24:45looks like he's
24:45going to shit
24:46his pants
24:48the faces
24:49are fascinating
24:50this is a FaceTime
24:51call
24:53ok so now
24:54I'm not doing it
24:55he said
24:56is this a FaceTime
24:56call
24:57I'm not doing this
24:57I'm not doing this
24:58no
25:00that's Brian Coogan
25:01there
25:02how you doing Nick
25:03I'm not doing
25:04a FaceTime
25:05call
25:06with someone
25:06I don't know
25:08he's freaking out
25:09he's calling you Nick
25:11this is the man
25:11who knew
25:12Nicholas Rossi
25:13for 21 years
25:15I never met
25:16this man
25:17you get that scar
25:18on your eye
25:19if you haven't
25:20moved his glasses
25:20you can see
25:21he has a little scar
25:21on the side of his eye
25:24do you see that James
25:25I didn't know
25:26this man
25:27James we can
25:28wrap it up right now
25:29Nick show him
25:29the two tattoos
25:30on your arm
25:31each arm
25:31I told him
25:32show your tattoos
25:33on your arm
25:33he won't do it
25:34is he willing
25:35to show you his arms
25:36ok
25:36I'm not getting
25:37in this conversation
25:39he has a look
25:40of somebody
25:41cornered
25:42caught
25:44that's it
25:45bye Nick
25:47very quickly
25:48it became evident
25:49that this was
25:50somebody who
25:51was at it
25:51and the compulsive
25:53nature of the story
25:54you know
25:55was compounded
25:55by the question
25:57is somebody
25:58really going to
25:59believe that
25:59is he really
26:00going to get off
26:01today the case
26:02called again
26:02at Edinburgh
26:03Sheriff Court
26:03the court was told
26:04that Mr Rossi
26:05was judged
26:05to be a flight risk
26:09this afternoon
26:09police officers
26:11went to his
26:12flat in Glasgow
26:14he was taken
26:14into custody
26:20there was a meeting
26:21with some of the
26:21senior managers
26:22to say that
26:23there was a prisoner
26:23on their way in
26:24who had needs
26:25he was in a wheelchair
26:27he had to get
26:28access to oxygen
26:29and they said
26:30his name is
26:31Nicholas Rossi
26:32but he doesn't
26:33use the name
26:33Nicholas Rossi
26:34he goes by
26:35Arthur Knight
26:37when he came in
26:38he had this
26:39Victorian
26:40Dickensian accent
26:42he said he was
26:43an Irish orphan
26:44and he came from
26:45Dublin
26:45I said well
26:46that's ironic
26:47so do I
26:47so I asked him
26:48whereabouts in Dublin
26:49are you from
26:50and he just came back
26:51with near the river
26:53which anybody
26:54who's from Dublin
26:54will know
26:55that's not what
26:56we call the Liffey
26:57I was quite dismissive
26:59of him at first
27:00but as time went on
27:02he realised
27:02how vindictive
27:04he actually is
27:04he accused staff
27:06of sexually assaulting
27:07him
27:07physically assaulting
27:08him
27:08there was an incident
27:09where a member of staff
27:10was assaulted by him
27:11and on the CCTV
27:12you can actually see him
27:14kicking the cell door
27:15and it was
27:15when he kicked the cell door
27:17that's when it hit the officer
27:18and the officer was injured
27:20and the doctor had a look
27:21at the CCTV
27:22and she goes
27:22that's enough for me
27:23he has power on his legs
27:27I guess my first reaction
27:29was
27:29yeah we've found
27:31our bad guy
27:31but it also
27:33is a bit of a sobering thought
27:34of okay
27:35how are we going to get him
27:37now what
27:38David Levitt
27:39was instrumental
27:40in orchestrating
27:42the extradition
27:44but they had to prove
27:45that he was
27:46Nicholas Rossi
27:47so the tattoos
27:48on Nicholas Rossi's arms
27:50became one of the key factors
27:51in this case
28:02we're going to take you back
28:03to 2008
28:04I'd like to kind of
28:05just get to know
28:06your perspective
28:08of Nicholas Rossi
28:09as a roommate
28:11annoying
28:13very annoying
28:14kind of
28:16around when
28:17nobody wanted him around
28:19and for some reason
28:20he would like to
28:21insert in the conversations
28:23that he'd gone to
28:24Brown University
28:25whether it was relevant
28:26to what we were
28:27talking about or not
28:28did conversation
28:29about Brown
28:30Brown University
28:32ultimately lead to
28:33a conversation
28:34about tattoos
28:34at some point
28:35so
28:36I had a couple
28:37friends over
28:38and we were
28:39watching TV
28:40and he just
28:42lets it out
28:43that he wants
28:43to get a tattoo
28:44and
28:46he goes into his room
28:47and he prints
28:49he prints it out
28:50and it was
28:51it looked like a
28:52red and white flag
28:54and he said
28:54it was the crest
28:55for Brown University
28:56and he wanted to get
28:57that tattooed
28:58so
28:59yeah
28:59we took him down
29:00to death or glory
29:01to get
29:02a tattoo
29:03of this
29:03Brown University crest
29:05that he thought
29:06was so awesome
29:06is that the tattoo?
29:08that is the tattoo
29:09also we see a picture
29:10there of an individual
29:12who is that individual
29:13to you?
29:13that's Nicholas Rossi
29:14no further questions
29:16alright
29:21a court is set
29:23to decide
29:23whether an American
29:24fugitive
29:25can be extradited
29:26to face rape charges
29:27in Utah
29:28they had to go
29:29through the legal
29:29process of proving
29:30who he was
29:31and who he is
29:32and you know
29:33who he's not
29:34Mr. Rossi!
29:35the man calling
29:36himself Arthur Knight
29:37arrives at Edinburgh
29:38Sheriff Court
29:39this morning
29:39it was made for TV
29:41it was sensational
29:43to the core
29:44every time
29:46Nick would arrive
29:47at court
29:48in the van
29:49there was this
29:50scrum of reporters
29:51and camera people
29:52today
29:53almost a year
29:54after he was
29:55first arrested
29:55a court began
29:57the formal process
29:58of answering
29:58the question
29:59who is this man?
30:01I know it was
30:02going to be a shit show
30:03the first witness
30:04was Ruth Keating
30:05an ICU nurse
30:06at Glasgow's
30:07Queen Elizabeth
30:07University Hospital
30:09but it was a compelling
30:10a really compelling
30:12narrative
30:13asked if one image
30:14from the Interpol
30:15notice looked familiar
30:16she replied
30:17that it looked
30:18like the tattoo
30:18on Arthur Knight's arm
30:20he made up a story
30:21about they put
30:22these tattoos
30:23on him
30:24saying he'd woken up
30:25from a coma
30:25to find these tattoos
30:27on his upper arms
30:29you know
30:29something's just
30:30unbelievable
30:31curiouser and curiouser
30:33I kind of did a
30:34I guess like a 180
30:35and started thinking
30:37okay
30:37you know
30:38that's him
30:39your fingerprints match
30:40how can you possibly
30:41claim not to be
30:42Nicholas Rossi
30:43the fingerprints
30:44were actually
30:45received
30:46by David Levitt
30:47his only rebuttal is
30:50David Levitt
30:52sent people in
30:53to tattoo me
30:56and David Levitt
30:56paid someone
30:58to alter
30:58the fingerprints
31:00the sheriff
31:01rejected this evidence
31:02calling it
31:03implausible
31:04and fanciful
31:06is the game
31:07up for you
31:07the game
31:08has just started
31:09the game
31:09is afoot
31:10it captured
31:11everyone's imagination
31:12just absolutely
31:14fascinating
31:15like watching
31:16watching a slow
31:17motion car accident
31:19right before your eyes
31:20I mean
31:20just bizarre
31:21goodbye
31:22and thank you
31:24it was funny
31:25to watch
31:26but like
31:26I was
31:26I've always been
31:27upset at how
31:28slow
31:29the wheels of
31:30justice have turned
31:32Nick knows
31:33how to run
31:33the clock out
31:34Nick knows
31:35stall
31:36stall
31:37never admit
31:38never admit
31:39there was delay
31:40after delay
31:41in these extradition
31:42proceedings
31:43with Rossi
31:44sacking his lawyers
31:45many times
31:46his plan was
31:48to delay
31:49and get under
31:51the skin
31:51of the authorities
31:52to the point
31:53where the authorities
31:54just didn't want
31:54to deal with
31:55Nicholas Rossi
31:55anymore
31:56and my hat's
31:58off to them
31:59because
31:59it had just
32:00the opposite effect
32:02the more ridiculous
32:04Nicholas Rossi
32:05got
32:05the more determined
32:07the Scottish
32:08authorities got
32:09to give him
32:10his day in court
32:11to allow him
32:12his rights
32:13but then
32:14to tie him up
32:15in a way
32:16that gave him
32:17absolutely no basis
32:19to claim that he
32:20didn't have his rights
32:21this morning
32:22this morning
32:22the sheriff ruled
32:23he can be extradited
32:24to the United States
32:26I conclude that he is
32:27as dishonest and deceitful
32:29as he is evasive
32:30and manipulative
32:30those unfortunate facets
32:32of his character
32:33have undoubtedly
32:34complicated
32:34and extended
32:36what is ultimately
32:36a straightforward case
32:40Rossi only appeared
32:41via video link
32:42at the beginning
32:43saying he'd been
32:44physically forced
32:45to be there
32:46before shouting
32:47that the sheriff
32:48was a disgrace
32:49to justice
32:51he came back
32:52in into the hall
32:53after being in a court
32:54and the prison
32:55kind of broke
32:56into the John Denver
32:56classic
32:57leaving on a jet plane
33:08I was born
33:09with the name
33:09Nicholas Alverdian
33:11in 1996
33:12I would have that
33:14surname changed
33:16by my stepfather
33:18when I became Rossi
33:20the amount of resources
33:23particularly in the UK
33:24but also here
33:25in the United States
33:26that were spent
33:27on his lie
33:28is outrageous
33:29absolutely outrageous
33:31the extradition itself
33:34was two or three years
33:35but finally
33:37they had Nick
33:38in the US
33:39on two rape charges
33:46next witness
33:47for the state
33:48your honor
33:48the state rests
33:50so the state
33:52has rested
33:53the defendant
33:54will then put on
33:56whatever evidence
33:57they would like
33:58alrighty
33:59ready to proceed
33:59counsel
34:00yes judge
34:01defense will be
34:01calling Job
34:02to the stand
34:08do you know
34:09Nicholas Rossi
34:10I met
34:12Nicholas
34:13back when
34:14Melissa and him
34:15were dating
34:16was there
34:17anything significant
34:18about their
34:19relationship
34:20that
34:20stood out
34:21to you
34:22yes
34:23yes it was
34:23happening
34:24way too fast
34:25were there
34:26any issues
34:26with the
34:27finances
34:28that Melissa
34:28had
34:29there were
34:30what were those
34:31just that
34:34usually when a
34:35gentleman
34:35gives a lady
34:37a ring
34:37he finances
34:39that ring
34:39or pays
34:40for it in cash
34:41it was our
34:42understanding
34:43that she
34:43had financed it
34:45which I didn't
34:46believe was the
34:46right thing
34:47did Melissa
34:48ever tell you
34:49that she had
34:50been raped
34:50by Nick
34:51no
34:54and is that
34:54something that
34:55would stick in
34:56your mind
34:56if your daughter
34:57had told you
34:58that
34:58I believe that
34:59would stick in
35:00anybody's mind
35:01yes
35:02did you ever
35:03tell her
35:04that she
35:04deserved
35:05to be
35:05raped
35:05no
35:07I don't
35:08have any
35:08further
35:08questions
35:09okay
35:13one day
35:14she came
35:14home and
35:15told you
35:15that they
35:16had broken
35:16up
35:16yes
35:17was it
35:18at that
35:19time
35:19that she
35:19told you
35:20about
35:21the rings
35:22and that
35:22she had
35:22financed
35:23them
35:23that's
35:24correct
35:24that
35:25conversation
35:25was
35:26emotional
35:28sure
35:28a little
35:29heated
35:30probably
35:31do you
35:31think it's
35:32possible
35:32that she
35:32might have
35:33told you
35:33in that
35:33conversation
35:34that she
35:34was raped
35:35and you
35:35didn't hear
35:36it
35:38I guess
35:39that's
35:39possible
35:40and so
35:41if you
35:41did say
35:42right
35:43you probably
35:44deserved it
35:44could it
35:45have been
35:45referenced
35:46to the
35:46rings
35:48not to
35:49the ring
35:53I suppose
35:54because you
35:54didn't hear
35:55her
35:55I didn't
35:57if she
35:57told me
35:58I did
35:58not hear
35:58that
35:59nothing
35:59further
36:04counselor
36:05are you
36:05going to
36:05be calling
36:05any other
36:06witnesses
36:06no judge
36:07defense would
36:08rest
36:08I've advised
36:08my client
36:09about his
36:09right to
36:10testify
36:10I believe
36:10that he's
36:11going to
36:11take my
36:11advice
36:11not
36:12testify
36:12okay
36:12Mr.
36:13Alberti
36:13it sounds
36:13like your
36:14attorney
36:14has told
36:15me that
36:15you're
36:15not
36:15intending
36:16to
36:16testify
36:17is that
36:17correct
36:18okay
36:24it is a
36:25tricky case
36:26to prosecute
36:26there's no
36:28DNA evidence
36:29her father
36:30said she
36:31didn't tell
36:31him but
36:32the mother
36:32says she
36:33did
36:34there is
36:3514 years
36:36from the
36:37time that
36:38it is said
36:39to have
36:39happened
36:39to when
36:40she reported
36:41it to
36:42police
36:42you know
36:43the defense
36:44have a good
36:45chance
36:45of convincing
36:47the jury
36:47that there's
36:48not enough
36:48evidence
36:49to convict
36:52so it is
36:53time now
36:54for the state
36:55to give its
36:55closing argument
36:56Mr.
36:57Heiner
37:02Melissa
37:03never forgot
37:06she told
37:07you
37:08exactly
37:10what
37:10you did
37:12he raped
37:13her
37:16when you're
37:17deliberating
37:17if for
37:18whatever reason
37:19you feel
37:19compelled to
37:20question
37:20why
37:21she would
37:22misremember
37:23or flat out
37:24lie
37:26I had an
37:27idea
37:28maybe they
37:29had makeup
37:29sex
37:30and 13
37:31years later
37:32it is now
37:32rape
37:34Mr.
37:35Ross knew
37:35that this
37:36was our
37:36consensual
37:37she had
37:37just broke
37:38up with him
37:38and said
37:38we are
37:39done
37:40she never
37:41consented
37:41she never
37:42said okay
37:42this is
37:43alright
37:44he pushed
37:45her down
37:45he pinned
37:46her down
37:47she thought
37:48that she
37:49was going
37:49to marry
37:50this man
37:50and then
37:51to find
37:51out that
37:52that story
37:52that you
37:53had played
37:53forward
37:54that's not
37:54going to
37:55happen
37:55because he
37:56actually
37:56kind of
37:56sucks
37:58the defense
37:59would have
37:59you believe
38:00that this
38:01was a
38:01woman's
38:01court
38:02that it
38:03was about
38:04the money
38:05just because
38:06somebody
38:07is bad at
38:08relationships
38:09when they're
38:0921 years
38:10old
38:10does not
38:11mean
38:12that they're
38:13a rapist
38:13what did
38:14Mr.
38:15Ross do
38:17pretended to
38:18be a man
38:18in the
38:19United Kingdom
38:20by the name
38:21of Arthur
38:21Knight
38:22and spoke
38:23with a
38:24different
38:24answer
38:24like you're
38:26allowed to
38:26move
38:27you're allowed
38:28to go
38:28somewhere else
38:29you're allowed
38:29to have a
38:30different name
38:30do you think
38:32that someone
38:32who leaves
38:33the country
38:33and changes
38:34their name
38:35nine years
38:37after something
38:38that happened
38:39in your early
38:4020s is
38:40consciousness
38:41of guilt
38:41like really
38:43innocent people
38:44don't run
38:44and hide
38:47finding guilty
38:48of rape
38:51lastly
38:52I want to
38:53talk to you
38:53about what
38:54beyond a
38:54reasonable
38:54doubt
38:54means
38:55you need
38:56to be
38:56saying
38:56yes
38:57I am
38:58firmly
38:58convinced
38:59that this
39:00went down
39:00the way
39:00that they
39:01said it
39:01did
39:03and if
39:03you have
39:04doubt
39:05that's
39:06all
39:06mistakes
39:07and I'm
39:07confident
39:08that when
39:09you come
39:09back in
39:09here
39:10you will
39:10be
39:10delivering
39:10a verdict
39:11not guilty
39:12thank you
39:12thank you
39:13Ms. Dugan
39:14all right
39:15this case
39:15is now
39:16submitted
39:16to the jury
39:17for their
39:17deliberation
39:18everybody
39:18rise
39:28they say
39:29that a
39:30sociopath
39:31is someone
39:32who is
39:33incapable
39:33of feeling
39:35sympathy
39:35for a person
39:36in pain
39:36even if
39:37the person
39:38has caused
39:38that pain
39:39and they say
39:40that a psychopath
39:41by contrast
39:42is a person
39:44who causes
39:45pain to
39:45someone else
39:46but really
39:47doesn't believe
39:47he did
39:48I believe
39:49that Nicholas
39:50is a psychopath
39:53relentless
39:55deceptive
39:55it is
39:57remarkable
39:57that he's
39:58been able
39:59to be
39:59on the run
40:00this long
40:01from such
40:01serious charges
40:03as a convicted
40:04sex offender
40:05the thing about
40:06Nick
40:07he's so smart
40:08he's so bright
40:09but boy
40:10you peel back
40:11a couple layers
40:11of that onion
40:12he's the devil
40:15he's hurt
40:15a lot of people
40:16and victimized
40:17a lot of people
40:18and he needs
40:19to be held
40:20accountable
40:21our church
40:22believes in justice
40:23but justice
40:23always tempered
40:24with mercy
40:24but one must
40:26pay their price
40:26for the harm
40:27they've done
40:30he is a danger
40:32to society
40:33he's a danger
40:34especially to women
40:36and he cannot
40:37get out
40:55the jury are taking
40:57so long
40:57I think
40:58because
40:59the verdict
40:59has to be
41:00unanimous
41:01I mean
41:02you would think
41:03if they were all
41:03in agreement
41:04they might come back
41:05after two or three hours
41:06so there's no question
41:08in my mind
41:09that there is at least
41:11one person
41:12who is not with them
41:13on this
41:14there's at least one
41:15or maybe more than that
41:16who thinks
41:17that there's not enough
41:19evidence
41:19to convict him
41:20of rape
41:22I mean
41:23God forbid
41:24he gets off
41:26but
41:27he could
41:40whenever the jury's ready
41:42let's bring him in
41:44there will be a time
41:45I will predict
41:46that if there's ever
41:47a jury verdict
41:48that comes back
41:49and convicts
41:50Nicholas Rossi
41:52you will not see
41:53the antics
41:54that you saw before
41:55what you will see
41:57is stone cold
41:59silence
42:00because
42:02he's got no more
42:03card to play
42:05all rise for the jury
42:13will the four person
42:14you have selected
42:15please stand
42:17have you reached
42:18a verdict
42:18in this case
42:19yes we have
42:20your honor
42:32in the state
42:33of Utah
42:34versus Nicholas
42:34Edward Rossi
42:36we the jurors
42:37in the above case
42:38unanimously find
42:40the defendant
42:40as follows
42:41to count one
42:42right
42:45guilty
42:45dated this 13th day
42:47of August
42:482025
42:49sign
42:50the four person
42:52all right
42:53ladies and gentlemen
42:54of the jury
42:55this trial
42:55is now finished
42:56we thank you
42:57for your service
42:57our system
42:58of justice
42:59relies on your time
43:00and sound judgment
43:01you've been generous
43:02with both
43:03you serve justice
43:04by your fair
43:05and impartial decision
43:08well
43:09there was
43:10no
43:11motion
43:12anything
43:13whatsoever
43:13from Nicholas Rossi
43:15nothing
43:16the only motion
43:18in the court
43:18was from
43:20the complainant
43:21and she was
43:22sobbing
43:22with joy
43:23I mean I was
43:24behind her
43:25her shoulders
43:26were going up
43:26and down
43:28when I heard
43:29the clerk
43:30say guilty
43:31I felt relieved
43:33I was still
43:34crying from
43:35before going
43:35in the courtroom
43:36so then it was
43:37kind of happy tears
43:38after that
43:41one of the
43:42best sounds
43:44I heard
43:44that whole night
43:45was them
43:45locking
43:46his handcuffs
43:47back onto him
43:49I felt like
43:50everything
43:50was going to
43:51be okay now
43:52anything further
43:53no
43:54have a good night
43:55everybody
43:56it's been a very
43:56long
43:57long day
43:57all rise
44:02I had a lot
44:03of unresolved
44:03trauma from this
44:04because I did
44:05brush it under
44:06the rug
44:06for so long
44:07you never realize
44:09what something
44:10has really done
44:11to you
44:11until you start
44:12processing it
44:13I was depressed
44:14all the time
44:15I was having
44:15really bad anxiety
44:16all the time
44:18me and my husband
44:18almost got divorced
44:20there was
44:21one point
44:22where I almost
44:23took my own life
44:27yeah
44:27I mean
44:28I really didn't think
44:29at one point
44:30that he was going
44:30to be sent down
44:31but I mean
44:31it's very
44:32very good news
44:33I'm really pleased
44:34because I just
44:35he's a monster
44:37and I mean
44:38I'm a bit
44:38blown away
44:39by myself
44:39I'm delighted
44:44it's such good news
44:54I'm safe from him
44:55right now
44:56all his
44:57past survivors
44:58are
44:59safe from him
45:10it just shows
45:12that it is
45:13possible to
45:14recover from
45:15trauma
45:15and to
45:16get justice
45:17that it is
45:47You
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