Politics
The Reverberations of the Daniel Penny Verdict
Penny was acquitted in the chokehold killing of Jordan Neely. The case has set off a debate over justice, race and the treatment of mentally ill people.
Good morning. It’s Monday. Today we’ll take a closer look at the verdict that cleared Daniel Penny in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely, a fellow passenger on an F train who witnesses said had been shouting at riders.
Credit…Jefferson Siegel for The New York Times
In May 2023, Daniel Penny, a man on an F train, put a disruptive passenger, Jordan Neely, in a chokehold, and Neely died. Penny is a former Marine who was studying for a bachelor’s degree in architecture. Neely was homeless and had struggled with mental problems for years.
The case quickly became a touchstone in the debate on crime and mental illness. Some New Yorkers said that Penny was responsible for Neely’s unnecessary death, while others said that Penny’s actions reflected the fear shared by many transit riders.
The police charged Penny with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. The first charge was dismissed on Dec. 6 after the jury reported that it was deadlocked. Last week the jurors acquitted Penny on the other charge.
I asked Hurubie Meko, who has covered the case since Penny’s arrest, to look at the verdict and put the case in a larger context.
