Justice is done by a jury composed of the suspect’s colleagues
Stamford, Conn.: Daniel Penny’s acquittal in the subway death of Jordan Neely is an example of the wisdom of our jury trial system. Penny, who was originally questioned by police on the day of Neely’s death, was released without being arrested. Only after ten days of outrage did Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg succumb to public pressure and file charges against Penny.
Now, after a full and fair criminal trial, a jury of Penny’s peers has returned a not guilty verdict. Normally, the circumstances of a criminal case are sterilized when they are evaluated in a courtroom. The event itself is left out and the case is tried according to a set of rules and standards that takes away the reality of what took place in the real world. Fortunately, the jurors, all Manhattan residents by law, saw through prosecutors’ attempt to clear the dust.
A subway can be an ominous place. Passengers are locked up and have no place to retreat. Threatening behavior is magnified a thousandfold. What could be an innocent rant on the street becomes a terror experience on the subway. New Yorkers understand this and were able to clearly visualize Neely’s behavior as it actually occurred, despite Bragg’s attempt to downplay it as harmless.
No one on that train knew how dangerous Neely’s behavior would become. Penny acted courageously to subdue a menace terrorizing a car full of straphangers. Yes, Neely’s death was unfortunate, but as the saying goes, it’s better to be judged by twelve than carried by six. Peter Janoff
Deadly signal
Kearny, NJ: Wow, so you can literally choke the life out of a man who hasn’t actually done much more than beg, go free and move on with your life without any consequences. What a dangerous message to send to this stressed, angry and divided country. Johannes Woodmaska
The threat of a vigilante group
Far Rockaway: Dear Mayor Adams, Due to Penny’s not guilty verdict, I implore you to put more police officers on the subway more often than you are doing. I’m sure kids who take the subway can be loud and a bit boisterous (I’m a subway rider). How long will it be before someone’s child becomes the victim of a do-gooder who wants to save people from children who behave obnoxiously? Please protect our children. Ora Reed
Crossed a sacred line
Fresh Meadows: I’m so blessed to be a white person with a job in the New York area, and poor Jordan Neely was not! I am stunned and ashamed of the jury, mostly women, who acquitted Daniel Penny. Granted, he was able to subdue Neely, but he really should have left it at that and not killed Neely without any conscience of wrongdoing. Lesley Lewis Paulos
Times haven’t changed
Manhattan: Penny’s trial reminded me of the Bernie Goetz affair, when Goetz shot and wounded four black youths on a subway in 1984 who had asked Goetz for money. He shot two in the back, and one subsequently sued Goetz and won a $43 million judgment against him. At the time of the shooting, Goetz was being hailed as a hero by the tabloids and lovingly compared to the vigilante played by Charles Bronson in the hit film “Death Wish,” who casually slaughters young black men. Goetz was charged with attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment and firearms offenses. The jury found him guilty of only one count of carrying a firearm without a license, for which he served eight months in prison. I expect Penny’s defeat will reflect the judiciary’s fear of crossing Donald Trump’s virulent MAGA base, which will celebrate the death of an unfortunate youth who left the country for dead long ago. Ron Spurga
Brace yourself for a backlash
Bronx: With the not guilty verdict for Penny and the possible protests, this will be a test of how the new police chief handles himself in the coming days. If there are not-so-peaceful protests, only time will tell. Jimmy Durda
Ideal versus real
Staten Island: Challenging Leonard Greene’s piece on the Penny/Neely tragedy (“He may skate on slay,” column, December 8). No one’s opinion except those of the people actually on the subway carries much weight. The coulda, shoulda, shoulda piece is meaningless. Where was the Neely family all those years he was living on the streets, using drugs, committing more than forty crimes, and beating an innocent woman just standing on the subway platform? They wasted no time in filing a civil suit! How are the rights of law-abiding citizens served when the media repeatedly publishes fifteen-year-old photos of Neely as Michael Jackson’s busker, instead of the out-of-control mentally ill person he became? How much the general public can reasonably be expected to endure during their commute does not mean we can address the issues we face. Ellen Settanni
Cases in contrast
Jacksonville, Fla: I find it disturbing that people, including Leonard Greene, manage to convict Penny because they don’t know how long to hold someone – in this case a deranged man – before letting him go. I somehow doubt that he, nor 99% of the people who wanted Penny convicted of anything, have ever been in the same situation. In contrast, just weeks later, Jordan Williams stabbed to death a man who was aggressive and irrational, just like Neely. No charges were pursued even though Williams, who is black, had an illegal weapon and ran from the scene. Unlike the Neely case, there was little doubt about the outcome of sticking a knife in a man’s chest. Where is the outrage over Williams’ victim? Greene and other judges on how long someone should be kept in a chokehold should try to apply their outrage in the same way. T. A. Summerlin
You weren’t there
Glendale: When columnist Leonard Greene passes judgment on an incident in which he was not present, he freely adopts a mentality that warrants scrutiny. A larger question about his determination that Penny did something wrong in an attempt to stop a deranged man from harassing and threatening others on the train becomes impossible to resolve when race is brought into the equation. Would Greene feel as adamant if both people were of the same race? It requires explanation and verification. Unfortunately, agenda-driven rhetoric only serves to widen the divide that our country no longer wants to see and spread. Witnesses who were on the train that day are the only people who can confirm how they felt. Speculations do not necessarily reflect reality. Sorry, Mr. Greene, redressing your personal grievances against others does not mean you can become the judge and jury on anything but your own emotions. Jonathan Kiddrane
To help or not to help
Brooklyn: In his case against Penny in Sunday’s Daily News, Leonard Greene compares his recent experience on the train with Penny’s. He also commends himself for not helping a female passenger who was being harassed by someone who was clearly not in their right mind. No doubt most riders in this situation would choose Penny over Greene. Greene also focuses on race and omits many relevant facts in the case to smear Penny. Would he defend Penny if the two men were their opposite colors? Jack Flynn
Man of action
Manhattan: To Leonard Greene: I read your column three times to understand your thinking and realized that, like you, I am essentially a coward. When faced with a threat, you sat there like everyone else, hoping it would go away or someone else would come to the rescue. You wouldn’t have killed him, but you also wouldn’t have tried to prevent him from harming others, and yet you’re willing to pass judgment on a man who faced a threat you admit you didn’t ready for it – and I’m not. I’m sure how I would have handled that situation. Personally, I think Penny should be given the key to the city in order to accomplish what most of our citizens face on a daily basis in New York City. Carl Maury
