Former Marine Acquitted in Subway Case Joins Trump at Army-Navy Game
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — In the wake of his recent acquittal, Daniel Penny, a military veteran involved in a controversial subway incident, is set to accompany Vice President-elect JD Vance and Donald Trump at the Army-Navy football game this Saturday. Penny, who faced scrutiny for his actions on a New York City subway, has garnered attention across the nation.
Penny was cleared of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely, who passed away in 2023 following an altercation on the subway. Although a manslaughter charge was initially considered, it was dismissed earlier in the week. Vance, a former Marine, extended an invitation to Penny to join him and the president-elect at the game, which Penny accepted.
“Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance expressed in a post on X. “I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.”
The incident has sparked significant debate across the United States, with Penny being viewed by some as a protector of public safety, while others criticize him as a vigilante for his role in Neely’s death. The case has become a focal point in discussions about race and public safety.
Support for Penny has been strong among some political figures on the right. Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur who sought the GOP presidential nomination and was recently chosen by Trump to spearhead a government spending reduction effort with Elon Musk, contributed to Penny’s legal defense fund.
In a detailed interview with Fox News following his acquittal, Penny described himself as “not a confrontational person.” He expressed relief at the outcome, stating, “I’ll take a million court appearances and people calling me names and people hating me, just to keep one of those people from getting hurt or killed.”
Although Trump has not recently spoken about the case, he did express last year to The Messenger that Penny and others on the subway were “in great danger.” Despite the acquittal, protests erupted in New York City, with demonstrators chanting Jordan Neely’s name and disputing the trial’s outcome.
Vance, who has served in the Marine Corps, including a deployment to Iraq, reiterated his belief this week that “justice was done in this case” and that Penny should never have faced prosecution.
The incident has left a mark on New York City, highlighting divisions on how to manage mental health crises that may risk public safety. Witnesses reported that Neely did not physically harm anyone but made threats about dying, going to jail, or committing violence. Neely, a former street performer, was homeless and had a history of mental health issues, including schizophrenia. He also had synthetic marijuana in his system and had previous convictions for assault in subway stations.
