NZer Troy Skinner faces life in US prison on kidnapping charge

Troy Skinner, the New Zealand man charged with attempting to kidnap a 14-year-old girl he met online, appeared at the federal courthouse in Richmond, Virginia on Wednesday (NZ time). The 25-year-old pleaded not guilty and asked for a trial by jury, which is due to start in September. He faces a maximum sentence of life in a US federal prison. Matt Demlein from local radio station WRVA told RNZ reporter Jordan Bond the federal indictment means considerable resources are available to prosecuting authorities - but he doesn't think the case will go to trial.