The man who has been accused of stabbing controversial author Salman Rushdie has been declared ‘not guilty’ to second-degree murder charges.
According to local media reports, the suspect was identified as 24-year-old Hadi Matar who reportedly stormed on stage and began stabbing and punching the author, moments before he began his speech in upscale New York last week.
The suspect was immediately pinned down to the ground by witnesses from the audience as well as officers present at the scene of the crime.
Salman Rushdie was seen being airlifted inside a helicopter to a nearby local medical facility after suffering critical injuries to his face and neck.
After undergoing hours of surgery and being on a ventilator to assist with his breathing, Salman Rushdie managed to survive and was declared to be talking and out of danger but would need plenty of time for his recovery.
The 75-year-old was stated to be alive and alert and was now trying to assist the authorities with their investigation regarding the shocking incident.
Rushdie was stabbed multiple times in the neck, head, and leg, right before going on stage at the Chautauqua Institute.
Meanwhile, the suspect named Matar revealed how surprised he was that the author managed to survive a possible murder attempt that he made on Friday.
And while many assumed he would plead guilty to the charges related to murder put up against him, he was recently deemed not guilty for murder and the assault of another individual.
The decision is rather controversial as Matar made his way toward the courtroom dressed in a gray colored jumpsuit, a white COVID-19 mask, and with his hands in handcuffs too.
Attorney Jason Schmidt was seen mentioning how the accused mission of killing the author was greater in his thoughts and it was really taking a toll on his personal freedom.
For now, he is in jail and held without any bail. He will return to court in September, sources confirmed.
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