Venue Change Request Halts Trial
The attempted murder trial of Hadi Matar, the New Jersey man accused of stabbing renowned author Salman Rushdie in a 2022 knife attack, has been temporarily delayed. An appellate judge in Rochester halted proceedings late Friday to consider a request from Matar’s defense team to move the trial to another county. Jury selection, which was set to begin on Tuesday, has been postponed until further notice.
Appellate Court to Rule on Venue Motion
Matar’s attorney, Nathaniel Barone, filed a motion to transfer the trial out of Chautauqua County, where the attack took place. The appellate court is expected to issue a ruling as early as Tuesday. Until then, the trial remains off the calendar, much to the disappointment of Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt.
“It presents another layer of difficulties and challenges for us,” Schmidt said, expressing his frustration over the delay.
The 2022 Attack on Salman Rushdie
Matar has been held without bail since August 2022, when he allegedly rushed the stage at the Chautauqua Institution and attacked Rushdie as the author prepared to give a lecture. Matar is accused of stabbing Rushdie more than a dozen times, leaving the “Satanic Verses” author blind in one eye. The event’s moderator, Henry Reese, was also injured during the attack.
Matar has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault.
Federal Charges and Terrorism Links
In addition to the state charges, Matar faces federal charges related to terrorism. Federal authorities have accused him of being motivated by a fatwa, or religious edict, issued years ago by Iranian leaders, calling for Rushdie’s death over his controversial book The Satanic Verses. Matar is also charged with providing material support to terrorists and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization. A separate federal trial on these charges is expected to take place in U.S. District Court in Buffalo.
