US fugitive Nicholas Rossi donned a black legal gown for his extradition hearing in the latest bizarre stunt he has pulled in a Scots courtroom.
The 35-year-old was brought into Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday in his wheelchair wearing the flowing garment before sitting amongst his legal team.
His attire drew no comment from Sheriff Norman McFadyen who has witnessed several of Rossi’s outbursts and tantrums at previous hearings.
Rossi spent the hearing listening intently, scribbling notes, and poring over files at the lawyers’ table.
A court source said: “He’s spent so much time reading up on the law for his case he must’ve convinced himself he’s an actual lawyer.
“It’s probably more believable than his story about being an Irish orphan called Arthur Knight.
“Those gowns are normally worn by lawyers in court. He must’ve bought it on Amazon or something.
“His legal team are probably hoping it keeps him quiet.”
But Rossi, who has fired a string of lawyers from representing him, failed in his latest effort to aid his own defence.
Sheriff McFadyen told the court he’d received a letter from Rossi, which he hadn’t opened, as the accused had lawyers acting for him.
The sheriff told Rossi’s lawyer, Mungo Bovey KC, that he could address the court in relation to any matter which Rossi might wish to raise.
Later Rossi briefly took the witness stand for what is expected to be the first of several appearances giving evidence this week.
Advocate depute Alan Cameron put it to Rossi that he was lying about being a man called Arthur Knight.
Rossi, using the bad Irish accent he has employed previously in court, replied: “I am not Nicholas Rossi. My name is Arthur Knight and I would be obliged if you would call me that.”
Rossi then referred to Mr Cameron as “my learned friend” - a courtesy extended between fellow lawyers during proceedings.
Rossi’s previous courtroom antics include trying to hijack a hearing to hold a minute’s silence for the late Queen Elizabeth II.
He has often refused to come to court for hearings and been told off over his verbal outbursts.
Rossi was arrested at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in December 2021 while receiving treatment for Covid-19. He was detained on the original extradition warrant over an alleged 2008 rape in Utah and is currently being held in Edinburgh’s Saughton Prison.
During an extradition hearing in November, Sheriff McFadyen blasted Rossi’s claims to be an innocent Irishman called Arthur Knight in his ruling on Rossi’s identity.
He called Rossi’s allegation he was tattooed while in a coma in the Glasgow hospital to frame him as “implausible and fanciful”.
The sheriff said Rossi’s “highly suspicious” change of names in recent years was “consistent with someone who was hiding from someone or something”.
Earlier on Monday Rossi’s bid to have the extradition hearing cancelled was rejected by Sheriff McFadyen.
Mr Bovey argued the extradition case, shouldn’t get underway as he’s also being sought in England for questioning over an alleged rape.
His legal team argued the “degree of uncertainty” over the allegations down south created an “unfair” and “prejudicial” situation for their client.
Prosecutors argued the hearing should go ahead at Edinburgh Sheriff Court as it wasn’t known whether Essex Police planned to charge Rossi.
Sheriff McFadyen said “with some hesitation” he was going to allow the week-long hearing to continue.
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