(21 Feb 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mayville, New York – 21 February 2025
1. Various of Hadi Matar and Public Defender Nathaniel Barone in court during verdict hearing
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Nathaniel Barone, Hadi Matar’s public defender:
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"Yeah, so, he (Hadi Matar) was disappointed. But I thought, quite frankly, that he was well prepared for the verdict regardless of what it was."
"And I think, unfortunately, the notoriety of Mr. Rushdie certainly didn’t help in how this case may have been presented. And we believe that it was overcharged. We believe that the indictment was excessive. We believe that it should have been a lesser charge than the attempted murder. Obviously, the jury felt differently."
3. Various of Matar in court
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jason Schmidt, District Attorney:
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"Mr. Matar came into this community, as, you know, as a visitor. And really, it’s my job to make sure that he stays a resident of New York State for the next 25 years. And that’s what I’m going to be, you know, focused on as we proceed the sentencing, recognizing that we’re going to be met with challenges. And it’s not over until we’re done with the post, the verdict challenges, until we’re done with the appeals. And we’ll just stay vigilant on all of this, because justice delayed is not justice denied. And I hope that two and a half years later, Mr. Rushdie can get some satisfaction from this. Poor Mr. Reese can get some satisfaction from this and everybody else that was there at the institution that day that risked their lives to jump on stage."
5. Mid of Matar in court during verdict hearing
6. Matar being escorted out of courtroom after verdict hearing
STORYLINE:
A New Jersey man was convicted Friday of attempted murder for stabbing author Salman Rushdie multiple times on a New York lecture stage in 2022.
Jurors, who deliberated for less than two hours, also found Hadi Matar, 27, guilty of assault for wounding a man who was on stage with Rushdie at the time.
Matar ran onto the stage at the Chautauqua Institution where Rushdie was about to speak on Aug. 12, 2022, and stabbed him more than a dozen times before a live audience. The attack left the 77-year-old prizewinning novelist blind in one eye.
Rushdie was the key witness during seven days of testimony, describing in graphic detail his life-threatening injuries and long and painful recovery.
Matar, sitting at the defense table, looked down but had no obvious reaction when the jury delivered the verdict. As he was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, he quietly uttered, "Free Palestine," echoing comments he has frequently made while entering and leaving the trial.
The judge set sentencing for April 23. Matar could receive up to 25 years in prison, which District Attorney Jason Schmidt noted is the maximum for a conviction on attempted murder in the second degree.
Matar was disappointed, according to his public defender, Nathaniel Barone. "But I thought, quite frankly, that he was well prepared for the verdict, regardless of what it was,” Barone said.
In his comments following the verdict, Schmidt said video evidence helped make the case “rock solid.”
Schmidt added: “Mr. Matar came into this community as a visitor. And really, it’s my job to make sure that he stays a resident of New York state for the next 25 years."
During his closing argument, Schmidt played a slow-motion video of the attack for the jury, pointing out the assailant as he emerged from the audience, walked up a staircase to the stage and broke into a run toward Rushdie.
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