State v. Verikokides

DURHAM, Justice:

Defendant Alex Verikokides appeals from his conviction in third district court for rape of a child, a first degree felony, and sodomy upon a child, a first degree felony, pursuant to Utah Code Ann. § 78 — 2—2(3)(i) (Supp. 1995). Defendant contends that this court should vacate his conviction and order a new trial because the record of his original trial was lost during a seven-year gap between conviction and sentencing due to his fugitive status.

On October 26, 1987, a jury convicted defendant of raping and sodomizing his thirteen-year-old stepdaughter. Before the court could…