Both Jason Schmidt and Nathaniel Barone are desperately afraid of charges of “Islamophobia,” and hope they can get through this whole thing without any mention of Islamic blasphemy or Khomeini’s fatwa, which, you see, might lead people to have “prejudice against people of Middle Eastern descent.” In what other attempted murder trial would both sides be ruling out discussion of motive before the trial even started?
“Salman Rushdie attack trial starts with jury selection in western New York,” CBS News, February 4, 2025:
NEW YORK — The man accused of stabbing of author Salman Rushdie is set to face trial in Western New York.
Jury selection got underway Tuesday in Chautauqua County Court for the trial of Hadi Matar. The 27-year-old from New Jersey has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault charges.
In August 2022, Rushdie was stabbed multiple times as he was about to take the stage for a discussion on writer safety. He survived the attack, which left him blind in one eye and with a permanent hand injury….
The 77-year-old author is expected to be one of the first witnesses on the stand. The trial is projected to last several weeks, with approximately 15 witnesses called to testify, according to Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt….
Prosecutors say they will show jurors video of the attack, but stay away from any discussion about whether Matar was motivated by a terrorist organization’s fatwa, or edict, calling for Rushdie’s death. The district attorney says that will be addressed in a separate federal trial for the suspect in U.S. District Court in Buffalo.
“From my standpoint, this is a localized event. It’s a stabbing event. It’s fairly straightforward,” Schmidt said. “I don’t really see a need to get into motive evidence, whether that’s applicable or not applicable and what that consists of. I’d like to avoid all of that.”
Matar’s attorney, Nathaniel Barone, argued jurors should be screened for any prejudice against people of Middle Eastern descent regardless, given the discussions of the fatwa in previous court proceedings.
“They’ve talked about the reason why this alleged crime supposedly occurred was because of this book involving Muslims, all that. So it’s kind of like the barn door’s been opened,” he said.
somehistory says
Suddenly *motive* is unimportant.
When police are investigating a murder or attempted and the perp has not yet been identified, *motive* is sought. That is important because it gives direction for the investigation.
Prosecutors are interested in *motive* because it helps them reason on the evidence presented to the Court., using the motive they present as the reason for the crime. They see motive as an important element.
Jurys listen for *motive* as it helps them understand the charges, the evidence they must weight while deliberating.
In this case, all are afraid that the *motive* will be the demands and commands in the evil book of demon filth….and ultimately, islam will be the *motive.*. Which of course, it was.
None involved want the jury, and the people in the gallery, to come to that conclusion.
If the jury members are paying attention, and their brains are working correctly, they’ll see the *motive* clearly.
James Lincoln says
somehistory,
A 100% accurate post.
Understanding motive is critical to understanding crime.
Critical.
somehistory says
Thank you very much, James.
WPM says
Make sure that none of the jurors know about jihad stabbing fever ,got it .Find 12 jurors in NY state that never heard about 911 ,find 12 jurors who have not heard about Khomeini’s fatwa that has been out there in the public eye over 40 years got it. Yes a happy go lucky “kid’ from NJ, 27 years old how I am sure his lawyer will say he is a bit rebellious like Bruce Springsteen his hero the lawyer will point out , woke up one morning and out of the blue try to stab to death an author who had a fatwa on his head for about 40 years .Lets not talk about motive ,just “mental illness” lone wolf, .I am sure that in Iran they will name a street after him. If he has relatives there I am sure the government there will give them some kind of cash reward. I am sure 15 to 20 years from now a democratic party governor in NY will release him for humanity reasons. He will move to England get a hero’s welcome become a full professor in Oxford ,by that time England will be fully .complaint. Convicted Cop killers get release after serving less then 30 years in NY state .
Billy says
The deceitful Leftists protect Islam and its Muslims from criticism and from a possible ban of Islam in the West because of Islam’s terrorism, discrimination, and violence against Non-Muslims. Islam is a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION(MTO) against Non-Muslims and NOT A PEACEFUL RELIGION UNDER WESTERN LAWS(Quran 2:216; 4:95; 8:12,39,74; 9:5,29,41,49, 21:921; 88,111,123;21:92; 49:15 and more). More specifically, Islam is a Muslim Terrorist Ideology and Criminal Enterprise of continuous war, discrimination, segregation, supremacy, genocide, polygamy, propaganda, deceit, hatred, incitement, sedition, rape, terrorism, and violence against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran. Fundamentally, Islam funds, teaches, and promotes a Terrorist Criminal Organization with Muslims as Terrorists for Allah.
The FRUIT of Islam is incessant WAR, terrorism, discrimination, malice, and violence against all Non-Muslims; this FACT must be taught and broadcast to the general public to prohibit Islam, its Mosques, and its Schools. Also, Islam is an Antichrist System terrorizing Israel, Christians, and Non-Muslims. Plus, there is NO EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW in Islam or in Islamic Law(Quran 98:6-7; 9:29 and more). In Sahih Bukhari(V6,B60,N80), Abu Huraira narrates, “‘You(Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind.’ means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them[Non-Muslims] with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam[see Quran 3:110].” See also Quran 3:22,151; 69:30-32; 98:6.
Non-Muslims CANNOT have peace with Islam and its Muslims because Islam and its murderous god, Allah, demand a continuous, Muslim war against unbelievers where Non-Muslims are CRIMINALS under Islam when Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” HENCE, NON-MUSLIMS MUST MAKE ISLAM, ITS MOSQUES, ITS SCHOOLS, ITS ORGANIZATIONS, ETC. ILLEGAL UNDER THE LAW. Similarly, Islam and its many Organizations must be identified and publicly declared to be MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS for their funding, teaching, and support of terrorism, violence, and discrimination against Non-Muslims(eg. Quran 9:5,29,111 and more).
Western Muslims seek to ensure Islam’s legitimacy against Non-Muslim societies, to impose Islamic Law in Western Legal Systems, and to advance Islam’s totalitarian goals to conquer the West. Consequently, Islam promotes a limitless, terroristic, Muslim war against unbelievers when Allah in Qur’an 49:15 says, “Surely the believers are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed JIHAD with THEIR MONEY AND THEIR LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.”
Deceitful Allah promises Heavenly Paradise to Muslims for acts of Muslim killing in a terrorist attacks against Non-Muslims and Muslim hypocrites when Quran 9:111 says, “Surely Allah has purchased from the believers[Muslims] their souls and their money so that they may have the garden[Heavenly Paradise]. They engage in war for the sake of Allah, so they kill and are killed…”
John1 says
He (along with the man of Paki Muslim background New Years Eve in New Orleans) is an example that super vetting Muslim immigrants or refugees is a waste of time, because they breed. Both men born in the USA, but brought up as Muslims by Muslim parents. Everything they did is justified according to their instruction manual called Islam.
WPM says
Islam like Nazism ,should not be an acceptable political movement .Basically both are against freedom ,both are supremist ,one Nazism is racial base ,Islam is a religious base that will not accept unbelievers ,their main mission spell out over a 1200 years is to either convert ,enslave them ,o kill them .Millions have been imported and dump into the west to sow instability by the elites so the government can take away basic freedoms in the name of “stability and “safety” the common good they the elites will say. That is my opinion the ruling elites hate us and want total control over every aspect of our lives .They want us in compact cities, they do not want us to traveling around too much ,they want to tell us what to eat, they want us panic scared all the time. They want to control all information we get they want to tell us who to associate with .Islamic Moslems immigration is a tool to break down a working society ,so the elite can remake as the elite class being gods in their eyes They do not realize that the millions of Moslems can not be put back in the bottle after they are release free range to destroy western civilization .The plan is to destroy Europe ,the Americas by uncheck Moslem invasion ,it can not be accidental that is my opinion
libertyORdeath says
Great point. I’m tired of hearing about “moderate Muslims” or “productive” migrants. It’s all a numbers game. Import the third-world, become the third-world – regardless of how “vetted” they are or how much they claim to want to assimilate.
The current protests in leftist cities is the perfect example of the “productive” foreigners turning on their hosts to defend their ethnic brethren.
Shia Muslims have a specific term for lying to outsiders to benefit your group, but it goes on in ALL foreign populations. These foreigners are not the Ellis island Europeans that ended up fighting Nazis and Communists in the 20th century. They are opportunists looking to suck the lifeblood out of America one ethnic voter enclave at a time.
Ever wonder why most of these foreigners live in areas that are almost exclusively made up of similar foreigners? It’s because they’re USING us while setting up their future 5th column redoubts throughout our beautiful country. They believe that with enough time and leftist policies, we will be defeated through sheer numbers. This is why “democracy” is so important to the people trying to tear down our Constitutional Republic. “Democracy” means that enough foreigners and their children will eventually outvote the native population and turn America into the dumping ground for the lazy and poor of the world.
James says
Why has this taken 3 years to go to trial?
WPM says
It is NYS the minions running the court system there are many ,it is a blue state .Can not have a trial during a presidential campaign. It might give the impression we a problem with unlimited immigration of Moslem “refugees” here in America that refuse to assimilate no matter how many generations they live here.
jerry glenn says
New York surges in the national Islamopandering derby.
WPM says
Yes many down on their luck mill towns in upstate NY are loaded up in the last 35 years with “Moslem refugees”. The bennies for lay abouts both native and imported is very good in super blue NY. They have a good democratic voting base a block of give me free stuff folks .This is why NY state has some of the highest taxes ,fees ,and crazy expensive regulations that keep out any new Businesses both big and small. Everything is great till all the taxpaying businesses leave and the number of people you put the arm on to pay the welfare state leave. California is facing the same problems ,not because of “climate ” change or” white supremacy” or the republican’s policies outside of the state ,but the failure of progressive democrats in power in those states .
gravenimage says
Prosecutor of Rushdie attacker says he won’t discuss motive, defense attorney wants jurors screened for ‘prejudice’
…………………………………..
So there is there is no movive for Rushdie’s attacker, but still–somehow–it is wrong if jurors think it is bad to stab a peaceful author. How does this work?