The acquittal in New York of a white Marine Corps veteran who killed an unarmed black man is “a modern-day lynching” that shows “our criminal justice system is still beyond broken,” say the media, Democrats, and progressives. By not convicting the white man, Daniel Penny, for holding the black man, Jordan Neely, in a chokehold on the subway, “there's a risk that it may happen again,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “Jordan Neely deserved better than the violence of being denied stable housing and health care and then dehumanized for it,” said New York City Council member Tiffany Cabán.
But Neely threatened to kill people, said he was willing to go to prison for doing so, and even the prosecutors admitted that Penny was trying to save lives, not hurt Neely. Neely said, “I will kill,” as he approached a mother and son hiding behind a baby stroller and said, “I don’t mind going to jail and getting life in prison. I’m ready to die,” according to witnesses. Neely lunged repeatedly at passengers, getting within inches of them. The mother with the son behind the stroller said she thought Neely could kill her. A witness said that, after many years riding the subway, nobody had ever "put fear into" her like Neely did that day. And nobody at any point in the investigation or seven-week trial ever doubted that Penny was simply trying to save lives, not harm Neely.
