NASHUA – The man sent to prison for trying to kill his wife by slashing her throat wants the case overturned by the New Hampshire Supreme Court, partially because he now claims he was not competent to stand trial.

Mohammad Salimullah’s attorney, Stephen Rosecan, filed the appeal this week, citing several grounds to have the case overturned. The appeal notice filed in the Hillsborough Superior Court in Nashua indicates Salimullah will argue he was not competent to stand trial, that the statements he gave during the investigation into the crimes were involuntary, and that there was not enough evidence to support the conviction, among other issues.

Salimullah was convicted in March on one count of attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and one count each of second-degree assault and reckless conduct after the jury of nine men and three women deliberated less than three hours. He was sentenced to 30 years to life in state prison last month.

The charges, stemming from Salimullah’s attack on the woman early in the morning of Aug. 13, 2013 in their small East Pearl Street apartment, accused him of covering the woman’s mouth with one hand. The charges said he then grabbed a kitchen knife in the other and slashed her throat, causing her to

sustain lacerations to the fingers of her left hand when she tried to grab the knife to defend herself, according to the

indictments.

Salimullah did not take the stand during the trial.

Rosecan went as far as to suggest Salimullah may have stabbed himself “to win her sympathy … win her back,” citing her testimony that Salimullah “was sad” in the hours before the incident.

Damien Fisher can be reached at 594-1245 or dfisher@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DF.

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