This week, a witness to Jordan Neely’s chokehold death on the New York City subway came out in support of the hero Marine, Daniel Penny, who is facing manslaughter charges over the incident.
The straphanger, a 66-year-old woman, spoke to the New York Post on the condition of anonymity. The woman told the outlet that Penny is a “hero” and said that she would testify on his behalf in court.
The witness explained that Neely, 30, went on an “explosive tirade” on the train, telling passengers he was going to “kill a motherf***er” and “[take] a bullet” and go to jail.
“The rhetoric from Mr. Neely was very frightening, it was very harsh,” the woman explained. “People that travel the subway see and hear everything – this was different. And frightening.”
“People were gravitating towards the exit doors, and we couldn’t get out because we were still between stations,” she continued. “People exited quickly [when we pulled in], and people were trying to call 911 when they were in the train … I sensed danger.”
Penny reportedly asked the woman if she would testify about her experience.
“If necessary [I’ll testify],” she stated.
“I think Mr. Penny deserves a chance … Mr. Neely, he gave people cause to feel that their life was being threatened. He didn’t care. He said he didn’t care. I consider [Daniel Penny] to be a hero,” she continued. “Anything that can help Mr. Penny, but also help the homeless or mentally ill individual out on the streets that could find themselves in the same situation — the answer is concern for all citizens of all colors.”
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Penny protected others from a violent, longtime criminal, which Townhall covered. A passenger on the train captured the incident on video. Following Neely’s death, left-wing activists "ignited" NYC. Protesters threatened to “tear the city down” and to “abolish the police” in the crime-ridden city. Townhall has covered how crimes, on the subway, specifically, have skyrocketed in recent years.
This week, former New York Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat, came out in support of Penny. In an interview on Sunday, the former governor said Penny did not commit a crime and should not have been charged with manslaughter (via the New York Post):
Paterson theorized that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg didn’t want to let Penny, 24, loose because of a history of minorities getting killed under controversial circumstances — but said the defendant is not at fault for what the ex-gov deemed an unfortunate tragedy.
“[Penny] did something because he saw danger for other people and tried to prevent it,” the Democrat, New York’s first African-American governor, said Sunday during a chat with John Catsimatidis on the “Cats Roundtable” on WABC 770 AM.
“He did not meet the threshold where you charge someone.”
Paterson pointed out Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man, had a long history of mental illness and, while calling his death a “tragedy,” said that it shouldn’t be seen as “an execution.”
Katie reported how left-wing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought manslaughter charges against Penny for Neely’s death. Shortly after, Penny turned himself in at the police station.
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