MAYVILLE, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� The attempted murder trial of the man charged with severely injuring author Salman Rushdie in a 2022 knife attack was put on hold Friday while judges consider a request to move it to another county.
Jury selection had been scheduled to start on Tuesday.
Late Friday, an appellate judge in Rochester halted proceedings until the court rules on a motion by Hadi Matar's attorney for a change of venue out of Chautauqua County, where the attack occurred.
The court could rule on the motion as early as Tuesday 鈥� the courts are closed Monday 鈥� but the trial has been taken off the calendar until further notice, District Attorney Jason Schmidt said.
鈥淚t presents another layer of difficulties and challenges for us,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed.鈥�
Matar's attorney, Nathaniel Barone, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Matar has been held without bail since rushing the stage as Rushdie prepared to speak at the Chautauqua Institution and stabbing him more than a dozen times before being subdued by onlookers.
The 鈥淪atanic Verses鈥� author was left blinded in one eye. The event's moderator, Henry Reese, was also wounded.
Matar has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault.
In a separate indictment, federal authorities allege that Matar was motivated by a terrorist organization鈥檚 endorsement of a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie鈥檚 death. A separate trial on the federal charges 鈥� terrorism transcending national boundaries, providing material support to terrorists and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization 鈥� will be scheduled in U.S. District Court in Buffalo.
The Associated Press
