Daniel Penny takes on Army-Navy with Trump, Vance days after acquittal

Daniel Penny, the former Marine who was charged but acquitted of killing Jordan Neely, a homeless black man, on a New York City subway shared the spotlight with President-elect Donald Trump and his entourage at the Army-Navy game on Saturday of Landover. , Maryland.

Penny, who received praise in conservative circles and derision from others for his actions in May 2023, was seen chatting and laughing with Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, who invited the 25-year-old to the game.

He did not speak to the press.

Trump, who attended the same game in 2016 after winning the election, did not give a speech but saluted during the national anthem and pumped and waved to the crowd.

In addition to the president and vice president-elect, Penny joined Trump’s Pete Hegseth choose to drive Department of Defense; former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick to be director of national intelligence; Speaker of the House Mike Johnson; incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Pennsylvania Sen.-elect David McCormick and Elon Musk at the game.

Penny’s invitation came days after a Manhattan jury acquitted him of criminal charges in connection with the May 1, 2023 F train incident. Neely, who was homeless at the timeboarded a subway car at the Second Avenue station and was described by witnesses as screaming and moving erratically when Penny choked Neely, which prosecutors alleged lasted six minutes, according to officials.

Part of the incident was caught on video.

The city medical examiner concluded that Penny’s strangulation killed Neely and ruled that he died of neck compression.

Neely, a 30-year-old former street performer who allegedly impersonated Michael Jackson, had a history of homelessness and schizophrenia.

He had been convicted of assaulting people in subway stations, according to police. However, passengers on the train the day Neely died said he did not touch anyone during the incident.

However, Neely expressed a desire to die or even kill while on the train, according to investigators.

Penny was charged with manslaughter and negligent homicide, but received praise from some conservative leaders, right-wing media pundits and others for what they said was an act of self-defense.

“Daniel is a good guy, and the New York mob prosecutor tried to ruin his life because he has a backbone,” Vance. POSTED on X this week.

Others, however, criticized former Marine for taking the life of a homeless black man in need of mental health services.

The Manhattan jury deliberated for 24 hours over five days and it was blocked on a manslaughter charge that carried a 15-year prison sentence, forcing the judge to dismiss her. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on the charge of negligent homicide on Monday.

In an interview with Fox Nation, Penny described herself as being in a “vulnerable” position.

“He was just threatening to kill people,” Penny told host Jeanine Pirro about Neely. “The threat of going to prison forever, of going to prison for the rest of his life.”

Penny was named in a process by Neely’s father, Andre Zacheryfor negligent contact, assault and battery resulting in Neely’s death.

“We promised this family justice — we still will,” Donte Mills, the attorney representing Zachery, said after Penny’s sentencing. “The prosecutor did a good job, but the jury in this case let us down.”