Author Salman Rushdie will not be required to hand over his private notes about his stabbing to the man charged with attacking him, according to a ruling by a judge in Mayville, N.Y. The alleged assailant, Hadi Matar, had subpoenaed Rushdie and publisher Penguin Random House for all source material related to Rushdie’s recently published memoir: “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder.” Matar’s lawyers argued that the material contained unique information that could not be found elsewhere.
However, Chautauqua County Judge David Foley deemed the request too broad and burdensome. He also stated that Rushdie and the publisher are protected by New York’s Shield law, which safeguards journalists from being compelled to disclose confidential sources or material. Elizabeth McNamara, an attorney for Penguin Random House, emphasized that forcing Rushdie to hand over personal materials would essentially victimize him again.
Matar pleaded not guilty to assault and attempted murder after being indicted by a Chautauqua County grand jury. The attack occurred at the Chautauqua Institution during one of Rushdie’s speaking engagements in 2022. The renowned author had previously faced death threats following Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa against him in 1989 due to his novel “The Satanic Verses.”
In addition to ruling on the disclosure of private notes, Judge Foley rescheduled Matar’s trial from September to October. This adjustment was made in consideration of both Rushdie’s travel schedule and City of Asylum Pittsburgh Director Henry Reese’s availability as a witness. Reese was moderating the Chautauqua Institution appearance when he was also wounded during the attack.
Jury selection for Matar’s trial is now set for October 15th.
