MAYVILLE, NY (WKBW) — Jury selection has begun in the trial of Hadi Matar, who is accused of attempting to kill author Salman Rushdie in August 2022 at the Chautauqua Institution.
Matar faces charges of assault, attempted murder, and federal terrorism, following the attack that left Rushdie blind in one eye. The incident occurred when Matar allegedly jumped on stage and attacked Rushdie just before he was set to speak.
Nathaniel Barone, Matar's public defender, expressed concerns about finding an impartial jury due to pre-trial publicity.
"The real question is, regarding pre-trial publicity, is whether or not they formed an opinion based on what they've seen or heard, and secondly, whether or not the opinion they formed can be set aside in making a decision, and that's what I've got a real issue with," Barone said.
The judge questioned potential jurors about their knowledge of the attack and their views on the Muslim faith and people of Middle Eastern descent.
I asked Barone about those questions.
“I think that's always, you'll always have to be concerned with not only race but religious beliefs as well," responded Barone. "And it's difficult to believe that certain people may not actually have tolerance for others' religious beliefs or followings, and certainly in this particular case, there was some issues regarding the alleged victim and his take or his spin on the Muslim religion.”
Many jurors admitted to having heard about the incident through media reports.
“The thing that's interesting is that so many prospective jurors have been exposed to some pre-trial publicity, but there's still a handful that indicates they haven't heard anything, which is almost unimaginable,” replied Barone.
Five jurors were chosen on Tuesday. Seven more, as well as four alternates, still need to be chosen.
I also asked the defense attorney why Matar rejected a plea deal offered by prosecutors.
“Why didn’t your client take a plea deal?” I asked.
“I’m not going to comment on that at this point, thanks for the question,” answered Barone.
Rushdie is expected to testify during the trial, and the video of the attack is anticipated to be shown to the jury.
The trial is expected to last one to one and a half weeks, with the exact start date yet to be determined.
