Daniel Penny, center, poses for a photo while gathered at a bar with his attorneys, Steven Raiser, left, and Thomas Kenniff after being acquitted of criminally negligent homicide, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Jennifer Peltz)
Daniel Penny was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man with a history of mental illness, whose final moments on a New York City subway were captured on video.
The verdict came after jurors deadlocked on a manslaughter charge, which the judge dismissed. Penny, a 26-year-old former Marine, faced up to four years in prison but was found not guilty.
Rival protesters for the Daniel Penny trial gather outside the criminal court, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Neely had been acting erratically on the train before Penny, who is white, restrained him in a chokehold for nearly six minutes.
Protesters hold “Justice for Jordan Neely” signs after Daniel Penny arrives at court, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Neely’s death, ruled a homicide by neck compression, sparked debates about race, mental health, and subway safety.
Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC.
