Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt has requested a protection order for witnesses in the coming trial against the man who attacked <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/salman-rushdie/" target="_blank">Sir Salman Rushdie</a>. Mr Schmidt also asked for more time for evidence in the case to be examined. <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2022/08/13/salman-rushdies-alleged-attacker-named/" target="_blank">Hadi Matar</a>, 24, on Wednesday appeared at a hearing at Chautauqua County Court in New York state for the fourth time, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2022/08/18/hadi-matar-salman-rushdies-accused-attacker-indicted-by-us-grand-jury/" target="_blank">having pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault charges last month</a>. Judge David Foley scheduled another hearing for Friday, in which he is expected to issue a ruling on whether to grant more time to the DA’s office. Mr Matar, of Fairview, New Jersey, was indicted on the charges by a grand jury after the incident on August 12. He was arrested after allegedly rushing on to the stage at the Chautauqua Institution, stabbing <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2022/08/12/who-is-salman-rushdie-the-author-whose-satanic-verses-prompted-a-fatwa-from-iran/" target="_blank">Rushdie </a> about a dozen times, including in the neck and an eye, in front of a crowd. He was later charged with one count of second-degree attempted murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, and one count of second-degree assault. Judge Foley previously refused to grant Mr Matar bail.