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Rantz: Daniel Penny verdict is a victory for justice, but a warning to Seattle

Dec 9, 2024, 11:04 AM | Updated: 1:51 pm

NEW YORK, NEW YORK: Daniel Penny is escorted in handcuffs by the NYPD after turning himself into th...

NEW YORK, NEW YORK: Daniel Penny is escorted in handcuffs by the NYPD after turning himself into the 5th Precinct on May 12, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

(Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

Daniel Penny was acquitted in the death of a violent, mentally ill homeless man who threatened to kill passengers on a subway car. It was inevitable but it shouldn’t have been in front of a judge and jury to begin with.

Penny, a former Marine, faced manslaughter charges for the death of Jordan Neely after the confrontation on a New York subway in May. Neely, a mentally ill homeless man with over 40 prior arrests, was reportedly threatening passengers when Penny stepped in, restraining him in a chokehold. The NYPD Officers who initially interviewed Penny, declined to arrest him because no crime occurred. This was a clear and obvious act of self defense.

But despite evidence proving Penny acted to protect others, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg鈥攁 favorite of the Radical Left for his soft-on-crime policies鈥攑ursued charges that were more about political optics than public safety. Penny is white and Neely was black, giving enough ammunition to bad faith actors to claim this to be an example of white supremacy in action.

While the acquittal is a verdict for justice, the implications of his trial could interfere with individuals’ willingness to act heroically. The message from the Radical Left and politically motivated prosecutors is clear: if you intervene in a dangerous situation, you risk becoming their next target. This isn鈥檛 justice鈥攊t鈥檚 ideological warfare.

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Daniel Penny verdict: not guilty

The jury, after hearing compelling testimony and reviewing the evidence, came to the only conclusion it could: not guilty.

Penny acted out of necessity, not malice. He didn鈥檛 wake up that morning intending to take a life; he simply found himself in a situation where action was required, and he heroically took it. This was never a case of manslaughter鈥攊t was a case of a good Samaritan being demonized by a small group of vocal extremists for doing the right thing. And he’s still being attacked.

“We need some black vigilantes. People wanna jump up and choke us and kill us for being loud? How about we do the same when they attempt to oppress us,” Walter ‘Hawk’ Newsome, a Black Lives Matter leader and radical, after the verdict.

It doesn’t matter that Newsome’s characterization of what happened is intentionally ignorant. It’s that he feels comfortable speaking like this in a city that felt comfortable charging Penny that should worry us all.

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Daniel Penny charges, regardless of verdict, means fewer heroes

Despite the jury鈥檚 verdict, the chilling effect of this trial cannot be ignored.

The next time someone witnesses a violent or threatening act, will they step in? Or will they hesitate, fearing the possibility of legal retribution or being labeled a racist?

Here in Seattle, the stakes are even higher. King County Metro buses and Sound Transit light rail systems are can be breeding grounds for criminal behavior, thanks to the city鈥檚 permissive policies toward the homeless population and rampant drug use. The potential for a mentally ill homeless man or woman to pose a legitimate threat is real.

How many times have we seen stories of assaults, harassment, and even stabbings on public transportation? It鈥檚 not hard to imagine a similar situation unfolding here鈥攁 would-be hero stepping in to protect others and then being vilified by the Radical Left for daring to act.

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Predictable response

The Left鈥檚 response to Penny鈥檚 trial was predictable and disgusting.

Activists and their allies in the media painted him as a symbol of white supremacy, claiming his actions were rooted in racism. Never mind that witnesses, including people of color, supported Penny鈥檚 version of events. Facts don鈥檛 matter to the mob; only the narrative does.

This divisive rhetoric is precisely what discourages people from stepping up in moments of crisis. This rhetoric can push left-wing prosecutors into pursuing charges.

It鈥檚 not enough for the Radical Left to disagree with your actions鈥攖hey have to destroy your character, too. They鈥檒l comb through your social media, drag your name through the mud, and turn you into a political pawn, all while conveniently ignoring the crime and chaos that necessitated your intervention in the first place.

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Daniel Penny trial and verdict should be a wake up call in Seattle

For cities like Seattle, this trial should be a wake-up call. Public safety isn鈥檛 just about police presence鈥攊t鈥檚 about empowering citizens to act when danger arises.

But that empowerment is meaningless if people fear they鈥檒l be punished for doing the right thing. What happens when someone decides it鈥檚 safer to look the other way? What happens when our collective apathy allows the chaos to win? People die.

Daniel Penny didn鈥檛 seek out a confrontation, but when one found him, he acted with courage. The jury saw that the same way the police and American people saw it. The question now is whether we鈥檒l allow the Radical Left and their enablers to use this case to sow further division and fear.

The next time someone faces a dangerous situation on a subway, a bus, or even a street corner, will they act鈥攐r will they remember what happened to Daniel Penny and decide it鈥檚 not worth the risk? For our sake, let鈥檚 hope they choose courage. But for that to happen, we need to send a clear message: standing up to protect others is not a crime鈥攊t鈥檚 a virtue. Daniel Penny is the hero we needed.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the听podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on听听,听听and.

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