West Islip’s Daniel Penny has been acquitted today of a charge of criminally negligent homicide in the killing of homeless man Jordan Neely.
On Friday, the judge in the case dismissed the more serious charge of manslaughter after the jury reported being deadlocked.
The Case
On May 1, 2023, Penny was riding a crowded F train on the New York City Subway. Neely, who suffered from mental illness and had prior run-ins with the law, was behaving erratically, causing fear among passengers in the subway car.
Penny moved to subdue Neely, but placed him in a chokehold for six minutes, killing him.
What’s Next
Penny’s legal troubles, however, are not over. He now faces a civil suit from Neely’s father, Andre Zachery, over his son’s death.
Penny graduated from West Islip High School in 2016, where he was a varsity lacrosse player. He served in the Marines for four years beginning in 2017.