(See my previous pieces here, here, and here.)
Today a Manhattan grand jury indicted Marine Daniel Penny for the chokehold death of Jordan Neely in May. The charges aren’t yet available, however Penny was previously arrested for second-degree manslaughter.
Penny is on video subduing Neely in a chokehold for several minutes before Neely stopped moving. Neely had an active warrant for felony assault at the time of the altercation (for punching an elderly woman in the face, breaking her nose and orbital bone), 42 prior arrests, and was previously accused of trying to push a woman onto the subway tracks days earlier. Penny acted after Neely reportedly threatened other passengers and grew increasingly hostile.
Last month one witness came forward calling Penny a “hero” and said she was glad that Penny had acted because Neely had threatened to kill passengers:
“He said, ‘I don’t care. I’ll take a bullet, I’ll go to jail’ because he would kill people on the train,” the woman said of Neely. “He said, ‘I would kill a motherf—er. I don’t care. I’ll take a bullet. I’ll go to jail.’”
The retiree said Penny did not initially engage with Neely during the wild rant until things got out of hand and he felt the urge to step in.
“This gentleman, Mr. Penny, did not stand up,” the rider said. “Did not engage with the gentleman. He said not a word. It was all Mr. Neely that was … threatening the passengers. If he did not get what he wants.”
In a video statement released by his lawyers, Penny said that Neely had threatened other passengers and that his intention wasn’t to kill him.
Regular passengers say the one-time Michael Jackson impersonator had become violent and unpredictable over the past decade, with riders even warning each other on Reddit over the potential danger Neely posed.
I’m curious to see the charges. As I’ve said before, the case seems to hinge on whether or not Penny’s use of the rear naked choke was “excessive.” (“Excessive” is a descriptor only reserved for use of force in defense, never for criminal offenses or criminal behavior.)
And remember, this is the same city where lawyers once argued that police had no obligation to protect another subway hero who was injured after subduing a murderer on a killing spree after one of the officers hid because he thought the killer was armed.
Again, vigilantism isn’t self defense, but it’s impossible to see how this was anything but self defense. NYC encourages vigilantism by refusing to keep violent, career criminals off the streets thereby endangering people, and punishing the people they endanger when someone is forced to defend themselves or others. I wonder if the grand jury took the city’s culpability into consideration?
Only in the United States can an actor go scot-free after killing his cinematographer but a Marine is punished for defending innocents.
There is no common sense among the leftist ideology - only victimhood and greed. I was taught to "put myself in other's shoes" so I can see their point of view and be empathetic. It's extremely hard , if not impossible, do this with a leftist or woke mind virus person..... I'm so mad at this Penny situation. He's a good soldier - pun intended - and needs to be free asap!
Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? Unless the LORD had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence. If I say, "My foot slips," Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, Have fellowship with You? They gather together against the life of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood. But the LORD has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge. He has brought on them their own iniquity, And shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The LORD our God shall cut them off. Psalm 94:16-23