Marine Veteran Acquitted in Death of Agitated Subway Rider
A Manhattan jury delivered the verdict, clearing Daniel Penny of criminally negligent homicide in Jordan Neely’s death last year. A more serious manslaughter charge was dismissed earlier in deliberations because the jury deadlocked on that count.
The Incident
Penny, 26, gripped Jordan Neely around the neck for about six minutes in a chokehold that other subway passengers partially captured on video.
The Defense
Penny’s lawyers said he was protecting himself and other subway passengers from a volatile, mentally ill man who was making alarming remarks and gestures. The defense also disputed a city medical examiner’s finding that the chokehold killed Neely.
The Prosecution
Prosecutors said Penny reacted far too forcefully to someone he perceived as a peril, not a person.
The Trial
The verdict capped a trial that took a tumultuous turn last Friday, when jurors said they couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict on the manslaughter charge. The judge then dismissed it at prosecutors’ request — a rare one for prosecutors to make in the thick of a trial.
Penny’s Background
Penny served four years in the Marines and went on to study architecture.
Neely’s Background
Neely, 30, was a sometime subway performer with a tragic life story: His mother was killed and stuffed in a suitcase when he was a teenager.
The Verdict
The jury delivered the verdict, clearing Daniel Penny of criminally negligent homicide in Jordan Neely’s death last year.
Conclusion
The acquittal of Daniel Penny has sparked controversy and debate about public safety, valor, and vigilantism. While some see Penny as a hero who protected himself and others from a volatile individual, others argue that he reacted too forcefully and unnecessarily took a life.
FAQs
Q: What was the charge against Daniel Penny?
A: Daniel Penny was charged with criminally negligent homicide and manslaughter.
Q: What was the verdict?
A: The jury delivered a verdict of not guilty on the charge of criminally negligent homicide.
Q: What was the defense’s argument?
A: The defense argued that Penny was protecting himself and others from a volatile, mentally ill man who was making alarming remarks and gestures.
Q: What was the prosecution’s argument?
A: The prosecution argued that Penny reacted far too forcefully to someone he perceived as a peril, not a person.
Q: What was the outcome of the trial?
A: The jury delivered a verdict of not guilty on the charge of criminally negligent homicide, and the more serious manslaughter charge was dismissed earlier in deliberations because the jury deadlocked on that count.
