After Daniel Penny was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely, the deceased’s dad is speaking out on the injustice.
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After deliberating for more than 24 hours across five days, ABC News reports that a jury found Penny not guilty on Monday. The case, which revolved around the May 2023 death of Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man with mental health struggles, drew national attention after the incident was captured on video.
As previously reported, the jury deadlocked Friday on the more serious charge of manslaughter, leading the judge to dismiss it. Penny faced up to four years in prison.
ABC News reports that there were polarizing reactions in the courtroom after the verdict was read; some observers applauded, while others began to sob and yell audibly, including Jordan Neely’s father, Andre Zachery, who was escorted out.
Zachery, who had filed a civil suit against Daniel Penny, later expressed his anger during a press conference, calling the court system “rigged.”
“I just want to say I miss my son. My son didn’t have to go through this,” he said. “I didn’t have to go through this either. It hurts. It really, really hurts,” he said, standing alongside supporters and activists. “I had enough of this, the system is rigged.”
Others reacting to the news include the Rev. Al Sharpton, who is among the civil rights leaders who were calling for justice for Jordan Neely, who said in a statement to NewsOne that Penny’s full acquittal “represents the blatant legalization of civilian vigilantism, sending a dangerous message that citizens can now take matters into their own hands, even if it leads to someone’s death. That is a threat to all of us.”
What Happened To Jordan Neely?
The case centered on Penny’s response to Neely’s behavior on a Manhattan subway.
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Witnesses testified that Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator, was acting erratically, and although he hadn’t physically harmed anyone, Daniel Penny put him in a chokehold that lasted nearly six minutes, according to prosecutors. The city’s medical examiner ruled Neely died from neck compression caused by the chokehold.
Penny’s defense argued that he acted proactively to protect passengers, believing Neely was a threat. Instead of the chokehold, the defense alleged that Neely’s death was caused by a combination of his health conditions, synthetic drug use, and the struggle itself.
Source: Anadolu / Getty
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