US trial for man charged with attacking Rushdie delayed over upcoming book

The US trial for the man charged with stabbing author Salman Rushdie has been delayed. 

The judge ruled the alleged attacker can seek material related to Rushdie’s upcoming memoir, Knife, which is about the attack, before standing trial.  

Hadi Matar allegedly stabbed Rushdie repeatedly as he was about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York, leaving him blinded in his right eye and injured in his left hand. Jury selection for the trial was originally scheduled to start on 8th January.  

However, Associated Press (AP) reported Matar’s lawyer successfully argued yesterday (3rd January) that the defendant is entitled by law to see the manuscript and related material before standing trial. Knife is due out in April 2024 and will be published by Vintage. 

Matar’s lawyer, Nathaniel Barone, is expected to subpoena the manuscript, the AP reported. 

The Bookseller has contacted Penguin Random House and Rushdie’s agent Andrew Wylie for comment. 

Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt expressed frustration at the delay and said “it will not change the ultimate outcome". A new date for the trial has not yet been set.