Chautauqua County Warden Matthew Stuczynski ban FOX3 crew from arraignment of Hadi Matar, suspect in Salman Rushdie attack

FOX3 was not allowed entrance to the public court proceeding by the Chautauqua County Warden Matthew Stuczynski, who cited the need to maintain the “safety and security and good functioning order of the institution.”

The arraignment of Hadi Matar, the New Jersey man who is suspected of stabbing author Salman Rushdie, will not be open to the press due to restrictions imposed by the authorities in the state of upstate New York.

Following the attack on Friday, Matar, who is currently 24 years old, was moved from the New York State Police barracks in Jamestown to the Chautauqua County Jail, where he is set to appear for his arraignment early on Saturday.

Matar is said to have rushed the Chautauqua Institution stage where Rushdie was about to speak about freedom of speech.

According to the sources, Rushdie is currently on a ventilator at UPMC Hamot in the nearby city of Erie, Pennsylvania, and may end up losing an eye.

The county jail is not designed to accommodate members of the media, according to a statement by a spokesman for the New York State Unified Court System.

According to Lucian Chalfen, this is a court for towns and villages. The jail is conveniently located in that county’s center. The Sheriff must make accommodations if he can.

Chautauqua County Warden Matthew Stuczynski refused FOX3 access to the open court session, citing the necessity to uphold “the safety and security and proper running order of the institution.”