Jury Deadlocked in Daniel Penny Manslaughter Trial Over Subway Chokehold Death of Jordan Neely

In Daniel Penny’s hearing, which has been followed around the country, jurors are still not sure how to rule on the charge of manslaughter.

Penny, a 26-year-old former Marine, is accused of putting an underground performer named Jordan Neely in a chokehold during a fight on a New York City subway train in May 2023, which led to Neely’s death.

Prolonged Deliberations

The jury couldn’t agree on a verdict for the second-degree manslaughter charge until Friday, the fourth day of their discussions.

Even though the 12-person panel looked at a lot of proof, such as videos from bystanders, police body cameras, and autopsy reports, they were unable to come to a decision.

In response, Justice Maxwell Wiley of the Manhattan Supreme Court told the jurors to keep talking and not grant the defense’s request for a mistrial. If the judges can’t come to a decision, they may give the jury a “Allen charge,” telling them to try to reach a decision as a group.

The jurors also has to decide on the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide, but they can’t do that until the manslaughter charge is over.

The Incident and Its Context

The case starts on May 1, 2023, when Neely, who was 30 at the time, got on an uptown F train in Manhattan.

Witnesses said Neely was acting strangely, yelling that he was thirsty and hungry, and saying he was ready to die or go to jail.

Some people said that what he said scared them, but prosecutors said that he didn’t make any threats of harm and didn’t show a weapon.

Penny put Neely in a chokehold and held him down for about six minutes because he thought Neely was a threat to other people on the bus.

The people defending Penny said that what he did was necessary to protect others, but the people suing him said that his use of force was extreme and careless.

Conflicting Medical Testimony

The question of what killed Neely has been at the center of the hearing. The city’s medical examiner said that Neely died because of the chokehold, so the death was officially a murder.

But Penny’s defense argued against this finding by showing evidence from a pathologist who said Neely’s death was caused by a mix of things, such as schizophrenia, drug use, a genetic condition, and the fight with Penny.

K2 (a manufactured form of marijuana) was found in Neely’s body during the autopsy. Even though the drug was there, the medical officer said it did not play a role in his death.

But the defense said the medical examiner didn’t look at other possible reasons, like how Neely’s mental and physical health might have affected the crime.

Broader Implications

A lot of people are talking about public safety, mental health, homelessness, and how far you can go in self-defense because of this case. Neely, who was black, had a past of mental illness and being homeless.

Penny, who is white, is a Marine veteran who wants to become an architect. This race dynamic has made the trial even more complicated and has led to protests and conversations about how society should help people who are weak.

Penny’s supporters say that he did what he did in good faith to keep himself and others safe in a dangerous scenario. On the other hand, critics say that his acts show that society as a whole isn’t doing enough to fix systemic problems that affect people like Neely.

Potential Outcomes

Penny could spend up to 15 years in jail if she is found guilty of second-degree manslaughter. If you are found guilty of the lower charge of criminally negligent homicide, you could go to jail for up to four years.

If the jury still can’t decide, a mistrial could be called, which could mean that the case is tried again.

As the jury continues to deliberate, the trial is a powerful reminder of how complicated it is for self-defense, accountability, and social problems to work together.

The result will not only decide what will happen to Penny, but it will also add to ongoing debates in the US about justice and public safety.