The man accused of attacking author Salman Rushdie in 2022 has declined to testify in his defense. Hadi Matar, 27, who is facing charges of attempted murder and assault, told the judge on Thursday that he would not take the stand.
“No, I do not,” Matar responded when Chautauqua County Judge David Foley asked if he wanted to testify. With this, his lawyers rested their case without presenting any witnesses.
Prosecution Wraps Up with Forensic Expert’s Testimony
Earlier that day, the prosecution presented its final witness, a forensic expert, concluding seven days of testimony. The prosecution’s case included crucial testimony from Salman Rushdie himself, who recounted the attack that left him with life-altering injuries.
The trial is taking place at the Chautauqua County Court in western New York, near the site of the attack at the Chautauqua Institution. Closing arguments are scheduled for Friday, after which the jury will begin deliberations.
The Attack on Rushdie and the Charges Against Matar
Rushdie, 77, was preparing for a discussion on writer safety when Matar rushed the stage and repeatedly stabbed him. The attack left Rushdie blind in one eye and suffering from multiple serious injuries. Henry Reese, the founder of the City of Asylum organization and Rushdie’s co-panelist, sustained a gash above his eye.
Matar, a resident of Fairview, New Jersey, has been present throughout the trial, often seen taking notes and conversing with his attorneys. On multiple occasions, he shouted “Free Palestine” to news cameras while being escorted in and out of the courtroom.
Defense’s Strategy Focuses on Intent
Although Matar’s lawyers chose not to call any witnesses, they worked to challenge the prosecution’s case. Their argument aimed to cast doubt on whether Matar intended to kill Rushdie or merely to injure him—an important distinction for an attempted murder conviction.
Defense attorneys pointed out that Matar carried a knife, not a gun, and that Rushdie survived the attack. They also noted that some witnesses described the incident as a “skirmish” or “scuffle.”
“We’ve argued from the beginning that they have not, at least in our opinion, proven any type of intent to murder,” Public Defender Nathaniel Barone told reporters outside the courtroom.
Rushdie’s Injuries and Recovery
Rushdie suffered more than a dozen stab wounds to his head, throat, torso, thigh, and hand. He spent 17 days in a Pennsylvania hospital, followed by over three weeks in a New York City rehabilitation center recovering from his injuries.
In addition to this trial, Matar is facing separate federal charges in U.S. District Court in Buffalo. He has been indicted for attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah, a militant group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
With closing arguments set to begin on Friday, the jury will soon decide Matar’s fate in this high-profile case.