Global Courant 2023-05-14 17:54:32
New York City Marine veteran Daniel Penny’s defense fund grew by nearly half a million dollars in a day to more than $1.5 million after he was indicted for the death of a freakish homeless person on the subway.
Penny, 24, was charged Friday with second-degree manslaughter for fatally strangling 30-year-old Jordan Neely, who prosecutors said had “made threats and frightened passengers.”
His lawyers, Thomas Kenniff and Steven Kaiser, launched the campaign Tuesday on Christian crowdfunding site GiveSendGo, which raised $1,097,282 by Saturday afternoon and more than $1.5 million by Sunday morning.
“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
Daniel Penny will leave the NYPD’s 5th Precinct on Friday, May 12, 2023. He faces charges in connection with the death of subway driver Jordan Neely. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)
Neely, a homeless man suffering from mental illness, began behaving wildly as he boarded the northbound F train on May 1, a witness said. the New York Post.
“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 said of Neely’s diatribe. “He said, ‘I’d kill a mother. I don’t care. I’ll take a bullet. I’m going to jail.'”
MARINE VETERAN IN NYC SUBWAY CHOKEHOLD DEATH FACES DIFFICULT LEGAL ROAD, EXPERTS SAY
Penny, a student and decorated Marine veteran, grabbed Neely from behind and dragged him to the ground.
Neely continued to struggle in Penny’s grasp for several minutes before going limp, according to a video recorded by a freelance journalist.
A campaign to raise legal fees for Navy veteran Daniel Penny accused of strangling a homeless person had raised nearly $900,000 by Saturday morning. (GiveSendGo)
According to his lawyers, he acted to protect himself and his fellow passengers.
On the “Daniel Penny’s Legal Defense Fund” page, his lawyers wrote that the money will cover all legal costs arising from criminal charges and potential lawsuits.
“Any proceeds in excess of what is necessary to cover Mr. Penny’s legal defense will be donated to a mental health advocacy program in New York City,” the statement said.
The fundraiser was boosted by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Twitter, who said, “We stand with Good Samaritans like Daniel Penny. Let’s show this Marine…America stands with him.”
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)
On Saturday, an anonymous donor contributed $10,000 with the message, “Thank you for protecting citizens that day.” Another anonymous donor donated more than $2,500 and wrote, “God bless our vets.”
JORDAN NEELY’S FAMILY DESTROYS NAVY VET’S LACK OF Remorse AFTER NYC SUBWAY CHOKEHOLD’S DEATH
A man using the name Brett Kingstone donated $1,000 and praised Penny’s actions.
“We live in a time when heroes are vilified and villains are praised. It is time to show our support for heroes like Daniel and take our country back from these villains who want to destroy our nation,” the post read.
Marine veteran Daniel Penny, right, fatally strangled Jordan Neely, left, on a NYC subway after the homeless man threatened passengers. (Mills & Edwards/All Trails)
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., contributed $100 to the campaign. “In a just world, Daniel Penny would get a key to the city, not a charge,” the congressman told Fox News Digital.
A GoFundMe account was also launched a week ago to pay for Neely’s funeral and memorial expenses. It has raised more than $75,000 as of Saturday afternoon.
JORDAN NEELY HAD A HISTORY OF ATTACKS ON SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE NYC CHOKEHOLD’S DEATH
Neely’s tragic death has divided the city, with many New Yorkers calling Penny a “hero” while others call him a “killer.”
The killed man had been arrested more than three dozen times and had a history of violent assaults on Manhattan subway platforms.
Most recently, in 2021, he punched a 67-year-old woman in the face, breaking her nose and eye socket, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Four months earlier, he allegedly punched another woman in the face, the records show.
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According to the documents, in 2019 he allegedly punched two men in the face at different subway stations a month apart, breaking a victim’s nose.
Outreach workers were so familiar with Neely that he was included on the city’s “Top 50” list — an internal list maintained by the Department of Homeless Services of people most in need, the New York Post reported.
Rebecca Rosenberg is an accomplished journalist and author of books with a focus on crime and criminal justice. Email tips to rebecca.rosenberg@fox.com and @ReRosenberg.
