Trial on hold for New Jersey man charged in Salman Rushdie stabbing

MAYVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — The attempted execution trial of the antheral charged with severely wounding writer Salman Rushdie successful a 2022 weapon attack was enactment connected clasp Friday portion judges see a petition to determination it to different county.

Jury enactment had been scheduled to start connected Tuesday.

Late Friday, an appellate justice successful Rochester halted proceedings until the tribunal rules connected a question by Hadi Matar’s lawyer for a alteration of venue retired of Chautauqua County, wherever the onslaught occurred.

The tribunal could regularisation connected the question arsenic aboriginal arsenic Tuesday — the courts are closed Monday — but the trial has been taken disconnected the calendar until further notice, District Attorney Jason Schmidt said.

“It presents different furniture of difficulties and challenges for us,” helium said. “I’m disappointed.”

Matar’s attorney, Nathaniel Barone, did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

Matar has been held without bail since rushing the signifier arsenic Rushdie prepared to talk astatine the Chautauqua Institution and stabbing him much than a twelve times earlier being subdued by onlookers.

The “Satanic Verses” writer was near blinded successful 1 eye. The event’s moderator, Henry Reese, was besides wounded.

Matar has pleaded not blameworthy to attempted execution and assault.

In a abstracted indictment, national authorities allege that Matar was motivated by a violent organization’s endorsement of a fatwa, oregon edict, calling for Rushdie’s death.

A abstracted proceedings connected the national charges — terrorism transcending nationalist boundaries, providing worldly enactment to terrorists and attempting to supply worldly enactment to a violent enactment — volition beryllium scheduled successful U.S. District Court successful Buffalo.