A New York Metropolis jury acquitted Daniel Penny of criminally negligent murder within the chokehold dying of native avenue performer Jordan Neely aboard a subway automobile in 2023.
Penny, a 26-year-old Marine veteran, had been charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent murder however pleaded not responsible to each fees. On Friday (Dec. 6), a choose dismissed the manslaughter cost after jurors reported they may not attain a unanimous verdict.
The jury was solely capable of contemplate the negligent murder cost after Penny was acquitted of manslaughter. His protection later requested a mistrial after over a dozen protesters lined up exterior the courthouse on Monday, chanting “Justice for Jordan Neely.” Nonetheless, that request was denied.
CBS studies that following the decision, Penny appeared to smile as his attorneys hugged one another.
The deadly encounter occurred on Might 1, 2023, when 30-year-old Neely, reportedly battling homelessness and psychological sickness following his mom’s homicide in 2007, boarded an F prepare in SoHo.
Studies say witnesses testified that Neely was agitated, throwing objects and making threats earlier than Penny restrained him by making use of a chokehold for a number of minutes till he stopped shifting. Regardless of efforts by police to revive Neely, he was pronounced useless on the scene.
Neely’s dying was in the end dominated a murder brought on by compression of the neck. Toxicology studies additionally confirmed traces of artificial marijuana in his system. The incident has sparked ongoing protests, with demonstrators demanding justice for Neely.
Penny turned himself in on Might 12, 2023, was initially charged with second-degree manslaughter, and was launched on $100,000 bail. He now faces no legal fees associated to the incident.