Daniel Penny acquitted in NY ‘Subway Chokehold Case’ after ‘politically motivated’ prosecution

Former US Marine Daniel Penny has been acquitted of criminally negligent homicide for the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man who died in a subway chokehold in May 2023.

The verdict, reached after five days of jury deliberations, concluded a case that had drawn national attention in the US and weeks of protests.

Penny’s legal team successfully argued he acted in defense of subway passengers after Neely, who suffered from severe mental illness, began shouting and threatening to kill other passengers.

Prosecutors alleged Penny acted recklessly by maintaining the chokehold for six minutes, but the jury determined there was insufficient evidence to convict him. The courtroom erupted in applause at the announcement, with Penny’s lawyers expressing relief, stating the verdict affirmed the rights of New Yorkers to intervene in moments of public danger.

Neely’s family reacted angrily to the verdict, with his father being removed from the courtroom after a vocal outburst, while outside protests took place.

Penny’s acquittal drew support from conservative figures, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Vice-President-elect JD Vance, who characterised his actions as those of a “Good Samaritan.”

Writing for Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett said the case against Perry was a gross miscarriage of justice driven by political motives and racial bias.

Jarrett argued the jury’s unanimous verdict affirmed that Penny’s actions were justified under the law, as he acted in defense of others amid an alarming rise in violent subway crime. Jarrett also criticized the trial’s conduct, including “errant” judicial rulings and a dismissal of the manslaughter charge that circumvented standard legal procedures.

Jarrett warns of broader societal implications stemming from George Soros funded DA Alvin Bragg’s decision to prosecute. Such cases may discourage Good Samaritans from stepping in to protect others, leaving vulnerable individuals at greater risk in crime-ridden environments like New York’s subways.

Jarrett also condemned the inflammatory rhetoric from “social justice activists” following the verdict, accusing them of stoking racial hatred and undermining the justice system.

Penny faces ongoing challenges however, including a civil lawsuit from Neely’s father.