On December 9, 2024, a Manhattan jury reached a verdict in the high-profile case of Daniel Penny, a former Marine charged in the May 2023 death of Jordan Neely, a disturbed homeless man who was threatening passengers. Neely died after Daniel Penny placed him in a chokehold to protect himself and other passengers. The jury acquitted Penny of criminally negligent homicide, ultimately concluding that he was not criminally responsible for Neely’s death.

Penny’s defense centered on the claim that his actions were justified, asserting that he was trying to protect his fellow passengers from Neely, who was reportedly behaving erratically and threatening passengers. Daniel Penny, who had been on the subway when Neely began making alarming statements that he was going to kill people, intervened by restraining him. Neely, who had a history of mental illness and drug usage, lost consciousness during the altercation and later died in the hospital.

The Prosecutors argued that Penny’s actions were the immediate cause of Neely’s death, charging him with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. However, on December 6, 2024, the jury dismissed the top charge of manslaughter after informing the court they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the charge. This led the judge to instruct them to deliberate solely on the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide. After further deliberation, the jury again reported that they could not reach a consensus on criminally negligent homicide and ultimately acquitted Daniel Penny. Jurors indicated that they could not unanimously agree on whether Penny had acted recklessly or negligently.

Recently, Concerned Women for America CEO and President Penny Nance discussed the Daniel Penny Case with Former Kansas Attorney General Phillip Kline. Check it out: