Considering his trial took place in New York City, I have to admit I didn’t think Daniel Penny would be acquitted on charges related to the May 2023 Jordan Neely subway incident, where Penny put Neely, a mentally ill homeless man with a lengthy criminal history, in a submission hold after Neely reportedly acted aggressively and threateningly towards other passengers.
Advertisement
According to witnesses who testified they were terrified by Neely’s behavior, other subway riders assisted the former Marine in restraining Neely, who was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
But on Monday, we learned that a jury had indeed found Penny not guilty of negligent homicide in Neely’s death, a verdict which ushered forth a predictable amount of wailing and gnashing of teeth from the Usual Suspects in the media and beyond, many of who flashed the race card with wild abandon.
READ MORE: Protests Against Daniel Penny Devolve Into Open Racism and Some Rather Awkward Infighting
Among them was Chivona Newsome, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York, who blamed white jurors for the Penny verdict (language warning):
Daniel Penny’s critics are trying to cause race riots after the jury found him not guilty:
“These wonderful white [jurors], I hope they celebrate their Christmas…God damn them and God Damn America!” pic.twitter.com/XoninrmoPk
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) December 9, 2024
Ms. Newsome is the sister of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York co-founder Hawk Newsome (both are pictured above), who raised eyebrows after the Penny verdict was read after allegedly yelling out “It’s a small world, buddy” to Penny while in the courtroom and later calling on “black vigilantes” to act when they are allegedly being “oppressed” by others.
Advertisement
Woke Squad member and Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) blamed the jury’s verdict in so many words on the supposed indifference to violence against black people:
The acquittal of Daniel Penny in the murder of Jordan Neely is a painful reminder of a long-standing reality: vigilante violence against Black people often goes unchecked.
Jordan deserved compassion, not violence. We stand with his loved ones in demanding accountability. https://t.co/sShp8nd83v
— Rep. Summer Lee (@RepSummerLee) December 9, 2024
Left out of the hysterical rants about the jury and the justice system was the fact that four of the 12 jurors in Daniel Penny’s trial were people of color:
The jury was majority female, and included four people of color. The acquittal was unanimous. People like this are despicable: https://t.co/SR8NPBh0pU
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) December 9, 2024
it was a mixed-race jury https://t.co/fYPcVMx3Rl
— ZitoSalena (@ZitoSalena) December 9, 2024
Further, witnesses of color testified as to how scared they were of Neely, with some thanking Penny for his actions.
This verdict had nothing to do with “white supremacy” or racism, and anyone who suggests otherwise to provoke violent reactions in response is just straight-up grifting and engaging in incitement at this point and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law if some crazed individual takes their suggestions to heart.
Advertisement
