OBSERVER File Photo by Gregory Bacon Hadi Matar is pictured during an appearance in Chautauqua County Court in January 2024.

MAYVILLE – One of the biggest trials in Chautauqua County, as far as media attention is concerned, is about to get underway, nearly two and a half years after the original incident.

On Tuesday, jury selection is scheduled to begin in the case of Hadi Matar, the suspect accused of stabbing award-winning novelist Salman Rushdie on Aug. 12, 2022, while at Chautauqua Institution.

The trial has been delayed multiple times. Most recently, the trial had been set for October, however the defense team filed an appeal with the state Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department, to have a change of venue.

Public Defense Nathaniel Barone had expressed concerns about finding an impartial jury as well as finding a jury that would be “representative” of his client, who is Arab-American and a Muslim.

Due to his request, one of the judges in the Appellate Division put a hold on the trial until a ruling would be made.

The Appellate Division ruled a week later that the trial would remain in Chautauqua County, however by that time County Court Judge David Foley had ordered the Tucker Richard homicide trial be moved up in its place.

Barone said he still has concerns about seating a jury.

“Depending on what happens during jury selection will determine if we need to revisit the issue and change of venue,” he said.

In October, Mary Alice Petrella, the Commissioner of Jurors for Chautauqua County, said they will be bringing in 50 prospective jurors at a time until the selection is complete. The same procedure is expected this time.

Because of Rushdie’s fame, the trial could attract a lot of media attention.

In the initial court appearance, media representatives from the New York Times, CNN, Associated Press and more were in attendance.

Matar did a video interview with the New York Post while in custody at the Chautauqua County Jail.

The New Jersey man praised Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini and admitted he didn’t think the author would survive the attack.

“When I heard he survived, I was surprised, I guess,” Matar told the Post.

Rushdie suffered four wounds to the stomach area of his abdomen, three wounds to the right side of the front part of his neck, one wound to his right eye, one wound to his chest and one wound to his right thigh.

His right eye no longer functions, and he has been wearing a patch over it.

Rushdie wrote a book about his attack entitled “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder.”

The book was published in April, 2024.

Before the October date, the trial had been scheduled to take place in January, 2024, but Barone requested it be delayed so he could review the book and any notes used in writing the book. The request for the notes was eventually rejected by the court, however the trial was delayed so that the defense could review the book after it was published.

Then in early July Matar rejected a plea deal. He was invited to plead guilty to second-degree attempted murder and that guilty plea would include future federal charges. Between the local and federal charges, he would have been looking at a maximum sentence of between 30 and 40 years.

Instead, Matar rejected that offer. Through his attorney, Public Defender Nathaniel Barone, a counter offer was made where Matar would only serve 15 years for the second-degree attempted murder, which District Attorney Jason Schmidt rejected.

Later that month, an indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court in Buffalo charged Matar with providing material support to a militant group overseas sometime between September 2020 and August 2022.

A trial for those charges are not expected until after the trial for the stabbing is completed.

In terms of the county trial, Schmidt said his office is ready.

“After several postponements over my objections, we are looking forward to our day in court,” he said.

In earlier interviews, Schmidt said he is just focusing on the crime. “This entire case, as far as the trial presentation is just simply about a stabbing event. … Picking a jury for that is pretty straight forward,” he said.

Rushdie, the victim of the attack, is a world renown author of several books, including “The Satanic Verses,” which was published in 1988. “The Satanic Verses” has been banned in Iran since it was published, as many Muslims consider it to be blasphemous. A year after it was banned, Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie’s death.

Rushdie has said in national interviews that he is expecting to take the stand during the trial.

Because of this, the Sheriff’s Office will be doing extra security measures.

Along with Rushdie, individuals who witnessed the attack, including staff and guests at the Institution, are expected to testify.