A Manhattan jury found Daniel Penny not guilty of criminally negligent homicide in Jordan Neely’s death. The jury dismissed a second-degree manslaughter charge last week.
“We the jury have come to a unanimous decision on county two,” the jury’s foreperson said, as reported by the New York Post.
In his closing statement, Steven Raiser, one of Penny’s lawyers, said, “Who do you want on the next train ride with you? “The guy with the earbuds minding his own business who you know would be there for you if something happened? Or perhaps you just hope that someone like Jordan Neely does not enter that train when you are all alone, all alone in a crowd of others frozen with fear?”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the court would respect the verdict, according to ABC News. “The jury carefully deliberated for four days. They requested readbacks of testimony and asked for video footage to re-watch, as well as written definitions of the law,” he said. “Their lengthy deliberation – and the totality of the facts and the evidence – underscored why this case was put in front of a jury of Mr. Penny’s peers.”
“Unfortunately, over the duration of this trial, talented career prosecutors and their family members were besieged with hate and threats – on social media, by phone and over email,” he added. “Simply put, this is unacceptable, and everyone, no matter your opinion on this case, should condemn it,” he said.
In 2023, Penny restrained Jordan Neely in a Manhattan F train, placing him in a chokehold. The incident occurred after Neely was threatening those on the train. Neely died soon after, although reports indicate Neely was alive when police arrived at the scene.
