On May 1, 2023, Jordan Neely was killed by Daniel Penny, allegedly. Respectfully, we have to put that. However, the ongoing case is a fairly complex one considering the social climate in which the incident occurred. Daniel Penny was hoping that the second-degree manslaughter charges would be dismissed by a judge declining to do so. Now, the Veteran likely faces an even longer legal road where some are seeking justice for Neely. On the other hand, some feel Penny’s actions are completely justified. In case you haven’t been following the Daniel Penny trial, Penny is white, Neely is Black, and if you think that doesn’t matter here, you haven’t been paying attention.
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Who Is Daniel Penny?
Daniel Penny served in the U.S. Marine Corps before his honorable discharge in 2021. While it’s a bit unknown about much else, Daniel Penny is in the spotlight of a somewhat high-profile case involving the death of Jordan Neely on the F train in SoHo.
Following multiple deployments in the Mediterranean, Penny would separate from service. As a civilian, he put Neely in a chokehold after pinning him to the ground with others. The exact amount of time Daniel Penny held the chokehold is fuzzy, but the estimation is at least 3 to 6 minutes.
The altercation occurred after Neely was seen asking for money and shouting in a subway in New York City. By some accounts, Penny was helping to defend a woman from Neely, but others claim Neely was a street performer asking for money.
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An Ongoing Trial
On March 20, 2024, Penny will be back in court after a judge’s decision to keep the trial moving forward. The decision was met with mixed opinions and plenty of demonstrators outside of the courtroom.
Unfortunately, Neely struggled with homelessness, stemming from his ongoing mental health issues. While there are some calling Daniel Penny a racist, others view him as a hero who helped defend those on the subway that day.
This is a good time to remind everyone that Penny is innocent until proven guilty. It’s also worth pointing out that this may be why the trial is so important.
The latest Daniel Penny update has the Veteran remaining firm in his stance and pleading not guilty to the charges levied against him. Now, it will be the job of the jury to hear the facts and determine whether or not Penny is guilty as charged.
One of the challenges the trial will continue to face; however, is finding a true unbiased jury of Penny’s peers. From the video evidence of the events in question to the coverage of the case, many eyes and minds are aware of the trial.
How to Donate to Daniel Penny
Rendering a Penny verdict may be a long way away as the legal process plays out. Because of this, legal expenses are likely to skyrocket for Penny. However, many in and outside of the military community looking for ways to support him.
At the time of this writing, the GiveSendGo campaign set up in lieu of a Daniel Penny GoFundMe, is over $3 million. Daniel Penny deserves a fair trial and the family of Jordan Neely deserves the truth. Hopefully, this trial will bring a minor resolution to a complex, heartbreaking situation for all.
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