OBSERVER Photo by Gregory Bacon Hadi Matar is pictured being escorted to his seat during an appearance Friday in Chautauqua County Court.

MAYVILLE – A trial date for the suspect arrested in the stabbing of a world-renowned author has been set.

On Friday, County Court Judge David Foley scheduled jury selection for the trial of Hadi Matar to begin Jan. 8.

Matar is accused of attacking Salman Rushdie Aug. 12, 2022 just before the author of several books, including “The Satanic Verses,” was to give a lecture at Chautauqua Institution. In the attack Rushdie was stabbed a dozen times all over his body, including his right eye, which he no longer can use.

Once the trial begins, Rushdie is expected to appear in Chautauqua County Court on behalf of the prosecution.

Foley scheduled the trial date following a court appearance, where the defense attempted to dismiss a document filed by the prosecution, but the judge ruled in favor of the prosecution. The document, a certificate of compliance, is required before a trial date could have been set.

County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said jury selection could take up to two weeks. Once the jury is selected, he is expecting the trial to last between 10 and 14 days.

Schmidt said they’re ready for the trial.

“This is a case that has been with us since the inception of August of last year when we spent a lot of time and effort to comply with our discovery obligations under the law. I think at this point now we’re in trial mode and we’re prepared to proceed,” he said.

Schmidt added that Rushdie is one of the witnesses on the prosecution’s list.

“I’ve already been in touch with representatives of Mr. Rushdie to alert him that we anticipated that we would have this trial date so that we can start to prepare for it. Hopefully there won’t be any issues with his scheduling,” he said.

In an interview with the NY Post, Matar said he attacked Rushdie because “The Satanic Verses” disrespected Islam. He said he was surprised Rushdie survived the attack.

“The Satanic Verses” has been banned in Iran since it was published in 1988, as many Muslims consider it to be blasphemous. A year after it was banned, Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie’s death.

A bounty of over $3 million had also been offered for anyone who kills Rushdie.

According to the Associated Press, Iran’s government has long since distanced itself from Khomeini’s decree, but anti-Rushdie sentiment has lingered. In 2012, a semi-official Iranian religious foundation raised the bounty for Rushdie from $2.8 million to $3.3 million.

Rushdie, 76, is the author of 15 novels, along with works of nonfiction and a collection of short stories, in addition to serving as co-editor of two anthologies. The winner of many of the world’s top literary prizes, he served as founding president in 1994 of the International Parliament of Writers (now the International Network of Cities of Asylum) — an organization formed to create structures capable of aiding and supporting persecuted writers, and what eventually became known as the Cities of Asylum Network.

He also has a memoir coming out about the horrifying attack that left him blind in his right eye and with a damaged left hand. “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder” will be published April 16.

Rushdie has been a prominent spokesman for free expression and liberal causes. He is a former president of PEN America.

Aug. 12, 2022 was not the first time Rushdie had visited Chautauqua Institution. Rushdie’s book “The Enchantress of Florence” was a Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle selection in 2010 and during his visit last year, the Institution called it a “return appearance.”

Matar is being represented by county Public Defender Nathan Barone. Barone was not in court Friday. Instead, Luwing Peche, assistant public defender, represented the suspect during the appearance.

A New Jersey resident, Matar was arrested immediately after the attack and has been in the Chautauqua County Jail ever since the attack. County jail officials said previously that he was separated from the general public of the jail.