Trial of man accused of Salman Rushdie attack may be delayed by author’s memoir

Sir Salman Rushdie before receiving his Outstanding Achievement award at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards at The Savoy in London in July 2023 (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Sir Salman Rushdie’s plans to publish a book about a 2022 attempt on his life may delay the trial of his alleged attacker, which is scheduled to begin next week, lawyers said.

Hadi Matar, the man charged with repeatedly stabbing Sir Salman as the author was being introduced for a lecture, is entitled to the manuscript and related material as part of his trial preparation, Chautauqua County Judge David Foley said during a pre-trial conference.