Daniel Penny found not guilty
Daniel Penny, a Marine veteran who used a deadly chokehold on homeless man Jordan Neely on the New York City subway last year, was found not guilty in a verdict delivered after days of jury deliberations and courtroom back-and-forth. FOX 5 NY’s Richard Giacovas has the details.
Daniel Penny was acquitted Monday in the death of Jordan Neely after a controversial subway chokehold incident.
The case sparked debates over public safety, vigilantism, and systemic issues like race, homelessness, and mental health, and the Marine veteran’s acquittal has been met with mixed reaction.
Here is what some of the reaction has been:
Kyle Rittenhouse
Kyle Rittenhouse on X congratulated Penny on his acquittal.
Rittenhouse faced charges after the protest shootings of three people, two of which were fatal. He was acquitted on all charges in 2021.
Rev. Al Sharpton
Rev. Al Sharpton, the Founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), issued the following statement in response to the verdict in the criminally negligent homicide case against Daniel Penny.
“Today’s verdict in the Jordan Neely case does not change what we have known to be true in our hearts since the very beginning: Jordan Neely’s life was brutally taken away because of unnecessary vigilantism. This kind of behavior was inexcusable 40 years ago when Bernhard Goetz opened fire in a subway car, and it remained the case more than a year ago when Daniel Penny took Jordan’s life. Jordan was in the middle of a mental health crisis, but instead of being offered a helping hand, he got an arm around his neck.
NY Rep. Mike Lawler
NY GOP Rep. Mike Lawler posted on X that he thought this was a “just verdict” and that he believed Penny never should have been charged in the first place.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the acquittal “just” and “correct” on X and said the jury deserves credit for “doing the right thing.”
Eric Garner’s mother
Eric Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr, was at the courthouse.
“Here we stand, once again, in front of this unjust system. I stood here 10 years ago because they did not give justice to my son with the chokehold,” she said.
“I tell this family, do not give up, because that’s what they want you to do. They want to discourage you just like they tried to discourage me but 10 years later, I’m still fighting,” she continued.
“I say today, we did not get justice once again and I am truly saddened by the situation because it keeps on happening and no one is standing accountable for their actions,” she said.
Garner was killed by a New York City Police Department officer in 2014.
Neely family attorney
Donte Mills said in a press conference outside the courthouse that the Neely family was hurting today and said the jury, in this case, “let us down.”
He said the family would be moving forward in other avenues to pursue justice, such as filing other suits.
RELATED: Not guilty verdict in Daniel Penny trial
Protesters
A group of protesters supporting the Neely family, who have been on the scene throughout the morning, continued their demonstration in front of the criminal courthouse.
Neely’s father
Jordan Neely’s father reacts to verdict
“I miss my son. My son didn’t have to go through this. I didn’t have to go through this either,” Neely’s father, Andre Zachary, said at a press conference following the verdict.
“I miss my son, my son didn’t have to go through this. I didn’t have to go through this either.” Neely’s father, Andre Zachary, said at a press conference following the verdict.
Daniel Penny
Penny hasn’t spoken since the verdict was ready, but a FOX 5 NY reporter inside the courtroom said hearing the verdict was the ‘first time Penny has smiled’ since the trial began.
He was photographed later on Monday celebrating the verdict at a New York City bar.
READ MORE: Daniel Penny celebrates not guilty verdict at NYC bar
The Source: Information in this article was taken from a live press conference outside the courthouse following the reading of Daniel Penny’s verdict on Dec. 9, 2024.
