Who is Daniel Penny? New York subway manslaughter case closed

Topline

The manslaughter trial of former Marine Daniel Penny began jury deliberations on Tuesday, as the politically contentious case sparked widespread controversy after Penny used a chokehold on a homeless Black man in a New York City subway car in 2023 had held on.

Important facts

Important background

The incident, which first came to light when the video went viral online, sparked protests and polarization, particularly in the days leading up to Penny’s indictment. Civil rights activists and advocates for people struggling with homelessness called for action against Penny. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez described the situation as murder in an X post and said people shouldn’t “look the other way.” Meanwhile, conservatives like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy and Kid Rock consider Penny a “good Samaritan” and a hero who practices self-defense. Penny’s defense attorneys have also collectively donated more than $3 million toward Penny’s legal costs through a conservative fundraising website.

Main critic

Moses Harper, an acquaintance of Neely, told CNN in May that Neely struggled with mental illness throughout his life and suffered trauma from the death of his mother, who was murdered in 2007. Juan Alberto Vazquez, who was on the train with Penny and Neely May, told CNN that Neely disrupted the train, yelling that he had no food and that he didn’t care if he died, but did not appear to have any weapons.

Crucial quote

“I want to acknowledge how horrific it was to watch a video of Jordan Neely being killed because he was a passenger on the subways. There had to be consequences, and we’ll see how that plays out. But his family deserves justice,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told reporters in May.