FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Daniel Penny, a military veteran recently acquitted of homicide charges related to the death of a New York subway passenger, has received an invitation from Vice President-elect JD Vance to join Donald Trump’s suite at the upcoming Army-Navy football game this Saturday.
Penny was found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the case surrounding Jordan Neely, who died in the subway incident in 2023. A more severe manslaughter charge against him was also dismissed the previous week.
According to Vance, who publicly supports Penny, the 26-year-old Marine veteran accepted the invitation to attend the game with him and Trump. “Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance stated on social media, expressing gratitude for Penny’s acceptance and wishing him enjoyment at the event while acknowledging the admiration many citizens feel for his actions.
The incident has ignited a nationwide conversation, with opinions split sharply; some consider Penny a hero who intervened to protect public safety, while others view him as a vigilante who unjustly took the life of a Black man.
Prominent conservative figures have rallied behind Penny since he was charged in May 2023. Notable entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who sought the GOP presidential nomination and was recently chosen by Trump to lead a government spending reduction initiative alongside billionaire Elon Musk, contributed to Penny’s legal defense fund.
Following his acquittal, Penny participated in an in-depth interview with Fox News, describing himself as “not a confrontational person.” He articulated that he would have struggled with profound guilt had he not intervened and someone been harmed or injured.
“I’ll endure endless court appearances and negative lashback, just to prevent someone from getting hurt or killed,” Penny remarked during the interview.
While Trump has not commented on the case in recent times, he previously expressed to The Messenger that he believed Penny and other passengers were “in great danger” during the subway incident.
In response to the trial’s outcome, some protesters in New York this week took to the streets, holding up signs and chanting Neely’s name in a demonstration of discontent.
Vance, a Marine Corps veteran himself who served in Iraq, emphasized his belief that “justice was done in this case,” reiterating that Penny never should have faced prosecution.
While Penny has garnered hero status among many supporters, Neely’s death has also created discord within the city as residents seek effective solutions for addressing mental health challenges that pose risks to public safety.
Witnesses reported that Neely, a former street performer who struggled with homelessness and schizophrenia, made threats without physically harming anyone. He had previously been convicted for assaults at subway stations and had synthetic marijuana in his system at the time of his death.