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Jury Hears Closing Arguments in Daniel Penny's Trial Over Jordan Neely's Subway Chokehold Death

Dec 2, 2024, 08:19 PM

Closing arguments began on Monday in the trial of Daniel Penny, a 26-year-old former Marine charged with manslaughter and negligent homicide in the May 2023 death of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man, on a New York City subway train. Penny is accused of recklessly choking Neely to death after Neely had an outburst on the train. Defense attorney Raiser argued that Penny acted to protect other passengers, utilizing his training to restrain Neely, who was allegedly behaving in a threatening manner. Raiser emphasized that Penny did not know Neely was dead when he spoke freely to police afterwards. The prosecution, with District Attorney Alvin Bragg present in the courtroom, contended that Penny showed indifference and used excessive force, maintaining the chokehold even after any perceived threat had passed. They also highlighted that Penny referred to Neely as a 'crackhead' during his police interrogation, suggesting a lack of empathy. The jury is expected to begin deliberations as early as Tuesday following the conclusion of closing arguments.