Suspect in Rushdie Attack Charged, Enters Plea

The man held in the stabbing of author Salman Rushdie has been charged with second-degree attempted murder and assault. A lawyer for Hadi Matar entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, CNN reports, at an arraignment Saturday in New York state. Bail was denied, and the defendant, 24, is being held in the Chautauqua County Jail. He wore a jail jumpsuit and was handcuffed during his court appearance, per the AP; he is due in court next on Friday. Rushdie is hospitalized with severe injuries. "This is the very early stage of what will invariably be a protracted legal process," the district attorney said in a statement, per the BBC. (More Salman Rushdie stories.)