Global Courant 2023-05-15 06:48:18
The legal defense fund for Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran who put homeless Jordan Neely in a deadly stranglehold earlier this month, has raised nearly $2 million.
The fundraiser, which was posted on Christian fundraising site GiveSendGo by Penny’s law firm Raiser & Kenniff PC, raised more than $1.8 million as of Sunday night. Last week, Penny was charged with second-degree manslaughter after the May 1 altercation on a New York City subway.
Penny’s lawyers previously told Fox News Digital that the 24-year-old veteran, who was arraigned Friday in Manhattan criminal court, is grateful for the support.
“The outpouring of generosity and support for Daniel Penny is beyond what we could have imagined,” Kenniff told Fox News Digital. “Daniel is incredibly grateful for the support of so many New Yorkers.”
NYC NAVY VETERAN ACCUSED FOR DEATH OF MAN MAKING THREATS AND SCARYING PASSENGERS: Prosecutors
A campaign to raise court costs for Daniel Penny, the Navy veteran accused of strangling a homeless person, had raised nearly $2,000,000 by Sunday night. (GiveSendGo)
The fundraiser description says that donations will cover Penny’s legal fees, including any future civil lawsuits that may arise. Any excess funds are donated to charity.
“Any proceeds in excess of what is needed to cover Mr. Penny’s legal defense will be donated to a mental health advocacy program in New York City,” the fundraiser states.
Authorities are still investigating whether Neely, 30, harassed or threatened the F train passengers before he died. A rider stated that Neely, who suffered from mental illness and had a criminal record, was behaving erratically and talking about killing someone.
“He said, ‘I don’t care. I’ll take a bullet, I’m going to jail’ because he would kill people on the train,” a 66-year-old woman told the New York Post. “He said, ‘I’d kill a mother. I don’t care. I’ll take a bullet. I’m going to jail.'”
Daniel Penny leaves the NYPD’s 5th Precinct on Friday, May 12, 2023. Penny faces charges in connection with the death of subway driver Jordan Neely. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)
But Juan Alberto Vazquez, the freelance journalist who filmed the incident, insisted that Neely did not physically attack commuters.
“He said he had no food and water, he was tired and he doesn’t care if he goes to jail,” Vasquez described. “He started screaming all these things, took off his coat, a black coat that he had and threw it on the floor.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, one of Penny’s most high-profile supporters, encouraged his Twitter followers to donate to Raiser & Kenniff’s fundraiser.
“We stand with Good Samaritans like Daniel Penny. Let’s show this Marine…America stands with him,” DeSantis wrote.
MARINE VETERAN IN NYC SUBWAY CHOKEHOLD DEATH FACES DIFFICULT LEGAL ROAD, EXPERTS SAY
Marine veteran Daniel Penny, right, fatally strangled Jordan Neely, left, on a NYC subway after the homeless man allegedly threatened passengers. (Mills & Edwards/All Trails)
Penny’s lawyers claimed their client intervened to protect train passengers.
“When Mr. Penny, a decorated Marine veteran, stepped in to protect himself and his fellow New Yorkers, his well-being was not assured,” Penny’s attorney Steve Raiser stated. “He risked his own life and safety for the good of his fellow passengers. The unfortunate result was the accidental and unforeseen death of Mr. Neely. We are confident that once all the facts and circumstances surrounding this tragic incident come to light, Mr. Penny shall be fully absolved of any wrongdoing.”
Neely’s family’s lawyers disapproved of Penny’s lawyers’ statement, calling it a “character assassination”.
Screenshot of a bystander video showing Jordan Neely being held in a stranglehold on the New York City subway. (Luces de Nueva York/Juan Alberto Vazquez via Storyful)
“In the first paragraph he talks about how ‘good’ he is and in the next paragraph he talks about how ‘bad’ Jordan was in an attempt to convince us that Jordan’s life was ‘worthless,'” Neely family lawyers Donte Mills and Lennon said. Edwards. . “The truth is he knew nothing about Jordan’s history when he deliberately put his arms around Jordan’s neck and squeezed and kept squeezing.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Penny is due in court in July and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Fox News’ Rebecca Rosenberg and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
