The man who stabbed author Salman Rushdie during a 2022 lecture in western New York has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to the Associated Press. Hadi Matar, 27, was convicted in February of attempted murder and assault.
Rushdie, now blind in one eye, described in his testimony how he thought he was dying as Matar stabbed him over a dozen times on stage. Matar, in court, claimed Rushdie was a bully and attacked his views on free speech.
The judge handed down the maximum sentence, rejecting defense arguments for leniency. Prosecutors said Matar orchestrated the attack to cause maximum harm and fear in front of a stunned audience.
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