(CNN) The man accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie, leaving him blind in one eye, rejected a plea deal Tuesday that would have tied in a federal terrorism-related charge but reduced his state prison sentence, according to the suspect’s lawyer.
The 75-year-old famed author — who has for decades lived under threat because of his writings — was stabbed multiple times onstage as he prepared to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York on August 12, 2022. The suspect, Hadi Matar, has pleaded not guilty to state charges of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault.
Under the conditions of the proposed plea deal, Matar would have received a 20-year sentence for the top state charge, which has a maximum sentence of 25 years, according to the Chautauqua County District Attorney’s Office.
