Author's Attacker Rejects Plea Deal, Faces Longer Sentence

Hadi Matar, accused of stabbing Salman Rushdie in 2022, rejected a plea deal that could have shortened his state prison term but exposed him to a federal terrorism-related charge. The agreement would have reduced his maximum state sentence to 20 years but added a potential 20-year federal charge.

Hadi Matar, the man accused of the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie, has refused a plea deal that would have shortened his state prison term but could have led to federal terrorism-related charges. Matar, 26, has been held without bail since the attack, which left Rushdie blind in one eye.

The proposed deal, confirmed by Matar's attorney Nathaniel Barone, required Matar to plead guilty in Chautauqua County for attempted murder, resulting in a reduced state prison sentence of 20 years from the initial 25 years. Additionally, he would have to plead guilty to a federal charge of attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization, adding a potential 20-year federal sentence.

Rushdie, a celebrated author who once hid due to a 1989 fatwa for his novel 'The Satanic Verses,' is set to testify at Matar's forthcoming trial. Matar was born in the U.S. with Lebanese dual citizenship, and his mood reportedly changed after visiting his father in Lebanon in 2018.

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