Manslaughter charge against Daniel Penny dismissed, jury to continue deliberating lesser charge Monday
Source: CNN
A judge granted a motion from Manhattan prosecutors to dismiss the more serious charge of second-degree manslaughter against Daniel Penny on Friday in his trial over the chokehold death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway last year.
The ruling clears the way for the jury to consider a remaining lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide. It came after a Manhattan jury said they were deadlocked twice on the manslaughter charge and Pennys defense attorneys renewed their motion for a mistrial.
Over defense objections, Judge Maxwell Wiley agreed with prosecutors, who argued that dismissing the first count of second-degree manslaughter eliminates the defenses concern about a compromise verdict.
Penny, 26, a former Marine, now faces a single charge of criminally negligent homicide in Neelys death, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison, significantly less than a potential maximum sentence of 15 years tied to the more serious charge. The judge could also choose to sentence Penny to no prison time if he is convicted.
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/06/us/daniel-penny-jordan-neely-trial-verdict/index.html