Hadi Matar

MAYVILLE — A trial for the man accused of stabbing an international author last summer is one step closer.

On Tuesday, a Huntley hearing was held in Chautauqua County Court for Hadi Matar, the New Jersey resident who allegedly attacked Salman Rushdie Aug. 12 just before the world-renowned author was to give a lecture at Chautauqua Institution.

District Attorney Jason Schmidt explained that Huntley hearings are held to determine whether the court is going to prohibit the prosecution from using select statements made by the accused at the time of his/her arrest during a trial. No rulings were issued by County Court Judge David Foley following the four-hour long hearing.

Three individuals testified at the hearing, all members of law enforcement. Two of the individuals were state troopers and the third person was a State Police investigator.

Matar was present during the hearing. He was escorted in wearing handcuffs and leg shackles. His arms were cuffed to his waist as well as to each other. Matar wore a gray button shirt, black pants and dress shoes. Foley did allow his arms to be uncuffed during the hearing, so he could take notes, but his legs remained in shackles.

Matar is being represented by Public Defender Nathan Barone. Foley previously issued a ruling requiring both sides to not speak to the media on any topics of substance. That ruling was issued after the New York Post published an interview with Matar, where he essentially confessed to the crime, saying he had done so because Rushdie had disrespected Islam with his book “The Satanic Verses,” which was published in 1988. He said in the interview he was surprised Rushdie survived the attack.

POLICE TESTIMONY

Trooper Zachary Colbin was the first person to testify at the hearing.

Colbin said he was the only member of the State Police assigned to the event. He wore his uniform that day, in part, to let the public know that there was an officer present. He said there was a Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputy there as well, with his K-9 officer.

Colbin had parked about 150 yards away from the Amphitheater and walked over to the front of the stage. Just as he arrived, he heard screaming and viewed was he described as a “scuffle or skirmish” on stage and immediately went to address the situation.

Upon approaching the scene, Colbin said he saw one person bleeding profusely and another bleeding from his face. At the same time, he saw a crowd of people pinning a man down.

Colbin identified himself as an officer and was able to handcuff the suspect, who the trooper identified as Matar.

Colbin said Matar told him that he had a bag by the stage. Colbin asked if there were any bombs in the bag, which Matar told him there weren’t; only knives were inside. With Matar’s assistance and the assistance of members of the audience, the bag was located and searched. It was confirmed that knives were the only weapons discovered inside.

Colbin patted down Matar and found a driver’s license. Matar told the officer the license was a fake.

While taking Matar in custody, another trooper arrived at the scene. Colbin placed Matar in the back of his patrol vehicle and escorted him to State Police in Jamestown.

“It was a very quiet ride,” Colbin said.

Colbin said he had turned on his body camera as soon as he realized there was something taking place on the stage. It remained on throughout his shift, although it was muted in conversations with his superiors. He said that is their protocol.

Colbin said his body cam will turn on automatically if he pulls out his handgun or stun gun, however neither were removed for this instance.

Barone questioned Colbin about his body camera footage, asking him if the recording that was placed in evidence was authentic and if he had viewed it.

After Colbin, Trooper Eric Haglund took the stand. Haglund followed Colbin as he transported Matar to Jamestown. He was asked similar questions about his own body camera.

The last person to testify was Investigator Matthew Bonerb with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, which investigates major crimes. Bonerb was in Lancaster at the time of the incident and was sent to Jamestown to interview Matar.

Bonerb noted there was blood on Matar’s hands, but had no visible cuts. The investigator asked Matar if he was injured, which he replied he was not.

Eventually Matar was permitted to wash his hands, but not before a swab was taken of the dried blood for testing. Matar was also given his Miranda rights by Bonerb.

Bonerb said Matar appeared calm and gave his real name, address and phone number, adding that he is American and lived in New Jersey with his parents.

Matar told the investigator that he had traveled by bus to Chautauqua County. Bonerb asked Matar if he came to the area to see Rushdie. At that time, Matar said he didn’t want to answer that question without a lawyer present.

He also said he is Muslim and asked for his prayer mat which was in his bag, so he could pray.

Bonerb said he ended the interview at that time. He did not personally provide the prayer mat, but didn’t know if anyone else did or not.

Bonerb described Matar as “calm and normal” throughout the interview process.

The Huntley hearing was originally scheduled to take two days, but on Tuesday the defense said they were not going to present anyone for the hearing or submit further evidence.

TRIAL EXPECTED IN 2024

After the hearing, Schmidt said they are moving forward with preparing for a trial, which he expects will take place in either in January or February. He did say some of the witnesses that will be asked to testify are from out of state, so they will need to coordinate various travel schedules.

The now 76-year-old Rushdie was interviewed by the New Yorker in February and said he is blind in his right eye, struggles to write and, at times, has “frightening” nightmares.

Prior to last year’s attack, Rushdie had spent years in hiding after Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a 1989 edict, a fatwa, calling for his death after his novel “The Satanic Verses” was published, saying the novel was blasphemous.

The New Yorker asked Rushdie whether he was upset with the security at the event, to which he replied, “I’ve tried very hard over these years to avoid recrimination and bitterness. I just think it’s not a good look. One of the ways I’ve dealt with this whole thing is to look forward and not backwards. What happens tomorrow is more important than what happened yesterday.”

Wade Haubert, Director of Organizational Safety and Security at Chautauqua Institution, said in June the institution was making some security changes, however he insisted those changes were not just because of the attack on Rushdie. One of the most visible changes now is that clear bags are required before entering areas like the Amphitheater.