US fugitive accused of faking his death to avoid rape charges appears in Utah court

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A man who is accused of faking his death and fleeing the U.S. to avoid rape charges in Utah has made an initial court appearance. Nicholas Rossi denied Tuesday at the Utah court appearance that he is the suspect and called allegations he wasn’t giving his true name “complete hearsay.” He appeared via video from jail while wearing an oxygen mask. Rossi is charged with raping a 21-year-old woman in Orem, Utah, in 2008. He identified himself in court Tuesday  as Arthur Knight Brown and did not enter a plea. Rossi was extradited from Scotland earlier this month.