The attempted murder trial of the man accused of severely injuring author Salman Rushdie in a 2022 knife attack has been delayed. The judges are considering a request to move the trial to another county, which has caused a halt in the proceedings. Jury selection was supposed to begin on Tuesday, but an appellate judge in Rochester has stopped the trial until a decision is made on the change of venue motion filed by the defendant’s attorney.
District Attorney Jason Schmidt mentioned that this delay brings additional challenges to the case and expressed disappointment. The accused, Hadi Matar, allegedly rushed the stage and stabbed Rushdie multiple times, leaving him blind in one eye. Matar has been held without bail since the incident at the Chautauqua Institution where the attack took place.
The author’s moderator, Henry Reese, was also injured during the attack. Matar has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault. Additionally, federal authorities have indicted Matar on terrorism-related charges, alleging that he was influenced by a terrorist organization’s endorsement of a fatwa against Rushdie.
The federal trial for the terrorism charges will be held separately in U.S. District Court in Buffalo. The delay in the attempted murder trial has brought uncertainty to the legal proceedings and the timeline for justice to be served in this high-profile case. As the court awaits a decision on the change of venue, the victims and their families continue to seek closure and justice for the traumatic incident that occurred during Rushdie’s speaking engagement.
