Self Defense Fund
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Famous SDF New York law firm of Raiser & Kenniff represented Daniel Penny in the death of Jordan Neely, 30 after Penny placed Neely in a chokehold after Neely began acting erratically on a NYC subway car on May 1, 2023.
Penny still faces a possible third trial from a civil lawsuit brought by Neely's father. As the civil lawsuit progresses, both sides will present evidence to support their claims. The court will ultimately decide whether Penny’s actions meet the legal standards for negligence and wrongful death. Regardless of the outcome, this case will likely have lasting effects on how society addresses similar incidents in the future.
Penny was first charged with second-degree manslaughter and released on bond. His trial began in October, 2024 and concluded that December. At his first trial the jury deadlocked on the manslaughter charge so the charge was downgraded by the judge to criminally negligent homicide, under which he still faced up to 15 years in prison.
After a strong defense by the SDF attorneys on the first charge of manslaughter and the second charge of homicide the jury after hearing all the facts and seeing all the evidence made a decision resulting in Penny being acquitted of all charges on Monday 9, 2024.
Daniel Penny, a former Marine, placed Neely, a homeless man with a past history of problems, in a chokehold because he was threatening harm to the passengers on the train. Callers told the 911 operator that Neely tried to attack people and indicated that he would harm riders, and several witnesses testified that they were nervous and outright feared for their lives. The SDF defense attorneys argued that Penny acted in self-defense, fearing for his safety and the safety of the other passengers, and that Neely's death was not directly caused by the chokehold.SDF
