New York City jury verdicts on ‘subway vigilante’ case


(MENAFN) A Manhattan jury has acquitted Daniel Penny, a former US Marine, of criminally negligent homicide in connection with the death of Jordan Neely, a mentally ill homeless man, on a New York City subway train in 2023. The case stemmed from an incident where Penny restrained Neely, who had been making threats on the train, with the help of two friends. Neely later died in the hospital, leading to charges against Penny.

The prosecution argued that Penny's actions, which included a chokehold on Neely, were excessive and racially motivated. Penny's defense maintained that he was acting to protect passengers in a potentially dangerous situation. The jury found Penny not guilty of criminally negligent homicide after deliberating for several days, and the judge had previously dismissed the second-degree manslaughter charge.

The trial, which received widespread attention, highlighted divisions within the city and across the country over issues of race, mental health, and self-defense. Penny’s supporters viewed him as a hero who acted in good faith, while critics saw the incident as an example of unchecked aggression against a vulnerable person. The medical examiner ruled Neely’s death a homicide, but the defense suggested it was the result of multiple health factors, including a drug overdose and mental illness.

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