A New Zealand man who to the US and allegedly broke into the house of a 14-year-old girl who he’d met online, before being shot by her mother, has pleaded not guilty to federal kidnapping and child pornography charges.
Troy Skinner travelled from Auckland to Virginia in June last year and allegedly banged on the front door of their house and smashed it with a brick. The girl’s mother reached for a gun and fired twice hitting him once in the neck.
He was arrested on four counts of production of child pornography and one count of kidnapping and attempted kidnapping of a minor.
He faces the possibility of life behind bars.
The indictment alleges that while he was in New Zealand in February and March last year, he introduced a minor in Goochland County, Virginia to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography.
He is also accused of travelling from New Zealand to Virginia last June "to kidnap and hold ransom, reward and otherwise" a minor.
Today Skinner pleaded not guilty before US District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
He requested a trial by jury and the judge has scheduled it for September 16, which is expected to last for a week.
The prosecution indicated it was ready to go by the speedy trial cut-off of April 30, but defence counsel asked for an additional six months minimum for psychological testing and to obtain mitigation evidence from New Zealand.
The judge determined that because of the nature of the case, the anticipated defences and in the interest of justice, she would schedule the trial beyond the speedy trial cut-off.
Defence anticipates multiple pre-trial motions, and has been given 45 days to file them. The prosecution will have 21 days to respond.
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