Stabbing Suspect Hadi Matar Rejects Plea Deal in Salman Rushdie Attack

Hadi Matar, accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie, has turned down a plea deal that would reduce his state prison sentence but subject him to federal terrorism charges. Both state and federal prosecutors, along with Rushdie, agreed to the deal but Matar wishes to face trial. Rushdie was severely injured in the 2022 attack.

In a pivotal turn of events, 26-year-old Hadi Matar, accused of repeatedly stabbing famed author Salman Rushdie, has rejected a plea deal that could have shortened his state prison sentence but exposed him to a federal terrorism charge. Matar's attorney, Nathaniel Barone, confirmed his client's decision following a court hearing in Chautauqua County.

The plea agreement, orchestrated by state and federal prosecutors and supported by Rushdie, would have seen Matar pleading guilty to attempted murder, receiving a 20-year state sentence instead of 25, along with a subsequent federal charge. Rushdie, incapacitated in one eye and facing a prolonged recovery, expressed a preference for resolving the case to avoid two separate trials.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt cited the attack as not just a crime of violence but as an offense against the principle of free speech. Matar, held without bail since his 2022 arrest, faced trial realizing the stakes. The court has instructed him to decide definitively by his next appearance on July 2. Meanwhile, the investigation remains focused on potential terrorist affiliations.

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