A New York City courtroom is grappling with the complex case of Daniel Penny, a former Marine accused of fatally choking a homeless man on a subway train.After days of deliberation, jurors have failed to reach a unanimous verdict on the most serious charge against Penny: second-degree manslaughter.
Judge Maxwell Wiley, presiding over the case, dismissed the manslaughter charge on Thursday, allowing jurors to focus on the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide. This decision came after the jury sent two notes indicating they were deadlocked on the manslaughter count, which carries a potential 15-year prison sentence.
“You are now free to consider count two. Whether that makes any difference or not, I have no idea,” Judge Wiley told the jurors, referring to the remaining charge of criminally negligent homicide, which carries a maximum sentence of four years.
The case has sparked intense public debate and protests in New York City. Penny’s attorneys argue that he acted in self-defense, restraining Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man, to protect other passengers on the train. They claim Neely was behaving erratically, asking for money and threatening to return to jail.
Prosecutors, though, contend that Penny held Neely in a fatal chokehold for an extended period, leading to his death. “He was trying to protect others on the train,” Penny’s lawyer, Thomas Kenniff, told the court.
The trial,which lasted a month,featured a range of evidence,including bystander videos of the incident,911 calls,police body camera footage,and testimony from witnesses. Neely’s family members have been present throughout the proceedings,watching the video of the subway confrontation repeatedly. Neely’s father has also filed a civil lawsuit against Penny.
Neely, known for his Michael Jackson impersonations in Times Square, had a history of arrests for offenses such as fare evasion, theft, and assault. His family has stated that he struggled with mental health issues stemming from a traumatic event in his past: the murder of his mother by her boyfriend over 15 years ago.
The jury will resume deliberations next week, attempting to reach a verdict on the remaining charge of criminally negligent homicide.
please provide me with the context or information you’d like me to respond to. I need a prompt or question to get started! 😄
For example, you could ask me:
* **To wriet something creative:** ”Can you write a short story about a cat who goes on an adventure?”
* **To answer a question:** “What is the capital of France?”
* **To translate something:** “How do you say ‘hello’ in Spanish?”
* **To summarize text:** “Can you summarize the plot of the movie Inception?”
I’m excited to see what you come up with! ✨