Overview

• Salman Rushdie testified in a New York courtroom, recounting the brutal 2022 knife attack that left him with serious injuries, including blindness in one eye and nerve damage to his hand.
• The alleged assailant, Hadi Matar, faces charges of attempted murder and assault; he has pleaded not guilty and could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
• Rushdie described the attack in vivid detail, recalling intense pain, substantial blood loss, and the belief that he was dying as the assailant stabbed him multiple times on stage at a public event.
• Bystanders, including audience members and event staff, subdued the attacker, preventing what prosecutors described as an almost successful attempt to kill Rushdie.
• The trial, expected to last up to two weeks, has included testimony from witnesses and a focus on the severity of Rushdie's injuries, while the defense has argued that the case is not straightforward.