Sir Salman Rushdie was so shocked he did not attempt to struggle again after a masked man stabbed him on stage, a court docket has heard.
The 77-year-old writer was attacked moments earlier than he was as a result of current a lecture on holding writers protected in New York in August 2022. He was left critically wounded and blind in a single eye.
Hadi Matar, 27, is now standing trial for tried homicide and assault. He has pleaded not responsible and stated “Free Palestine” as he was introduced into Chautauqua County court docket in Mayville, New York, on Monday.
Because the opening statements have been delivered, district legal professional Jason Schmidt described a sudden assault by Matar – saying he certain up a small staircase and burst onto the stage because the occasion obtained beneath method.
Picture:
Hadi Matar arriving in court docket immediately. Pic: AP
Each Sir Salman and fellow speaker Henry Reese – who was additionally injured – have been so shocked by the assault that they initially remained of their seats, the court docket heard.
Mr Schmidt stated: “Without hesitation, this man holding his knife […] forcefully and efficiently in its speed, plunged the knife into Mr Rushdie over and over and over again.”
Matar was “stabbing, swinging, slicing into Mr Rushdie’s head, his throat, his abdomen, his thigh”, Mr Schmidt added.
“It all happened so fast that even the person under attack, Mr Rushdie, and the person sitting next to him, Mr Reese, didn’t register what was happening,” the prosecutor stated.
It’s believed Sir Salman will testify throughout the trial, which is predicted to final 10 days.
The Indian-born British-American writer beforehand detailed the assault – and his lengthy restoration – in his 2024 memoir, Knife: Meditations After An Tried Homicide.
The Booker Prize winner had nervous for his security since his 1989 novel The Satanic Verses was labelled blasphemous by many Muslims.
The guide led to Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issuing a fatwa calling for his demise and Sir Salman spent years in hiding.
He has travelled freely for the previous 25 years, after Iran stated it might not implement the decree.
The trial is going down because the thirty sixth anniversary of the fatwa – 14 February – approaches.
Jurors will probably be proven movies and images of the assault, which ended when onlookers rushed Matar and held him till police arrived. It’s unclear what Matar’s defence will probably be.
