After a Year of Persecution, Daniel Penny Spotted as Guest of Honor in Trump's Box at Army-Navy Game
Talk about a turn of fortune.
In less than a week, Daniel Penny — the Marine veteran who subdued a threatening, mentally ill homeless man on the New York City subway only to be charged with manslaughter after he died — went from facing decades in prison to facing an appreciative crowd at the Army-Navy game.
Not only that, he was the guest of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.
According to the New York Post, it was actually Vance who invited Penny — who was acquitted by a Manhattan jury on Monday — to sit in the suite with himself and Trump at the game in Landover, Maryland.
The Midshipmen won 31-13 over the favored No. 22 Army Black Knights, perhaps a sign that that fortune continues to favor both Penny and Vance, who — as Marine Corps vets — served under the Navy aegis.
SPOTTED: American Hero Daniel Penny joins VP-elect @JDVance at the @ArmyNavyGame.
President Trump is en route. pic.twitter.com/bigGt8xyBj
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) December 14, 2024
“Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance said in a social media post, throwing shade upon Manhattan Democrat District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who spearheaded the Penny prosecution.
“I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.”
Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone.
I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage. https://t.co/b4bY0G0EM3
— JD Vance (@JDVance) December 13, 2024
Trump didn’t issue a statement about the invitation, although he did announce his attendance at the event:
Will be going to the Army/Navy Game tomorrow to root on these fantastic young men. Should be a great game. See you there! DJT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2024
However, Trump made sure to greet Penny, and Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo of the president-elect and vice president-elect with Penny, 26, along with the caption, “Common sense reigns again!!!”
Common sense reigns again!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/iUDK95VnfX
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) December 14, 2024
Also speaking on Penny’s behalf was Intelligence Director nominee Tulsi Gabbard, who said it was great to be “surrounded by great Americans celebrating freedom and what it means to serve.”
“Standing alongside courageous Americans like Daniel Penny was special, as he embodies the courage of our nation’s warriors, both in and out of uniform,” she added. “This game is not just about football; it’s a heartfelt tribute to service and unity, reminding us of the sacrifices made for our freedoms.”
Just one week ago, however, it looked unlikely Penny would be in this position.
Initially hailed as a “good Samaritan” for subduing Neely — who was threatening passengers on the subway and declaring he didn’t care if he died on May 1, 2023 — Penny instead turned into a sacrificial lamb for social justice activists, who demanded charges ostensibly because Neely was a homeless person of color and Penny was a white military veteran.
After Bragg aggressively pursued the case, a grand jury indicted Penny in June of 2023, WNYC-TV noted that three days later, he “pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide during his arraignment.”
Jury selection began in October and on Nov. 1, opening statements were given. Jury deliberations began Dec. 3, but the jury came back with a note that it was deadlocked on the manslaughter charge, the most serious offense. He could have been given up to 15 years in prison for that.
The judge then dismissed that and, using what’s known as a so-called “Allen charge,” sent them back to deliberate on the lesser criminally negligent homicide charge — ostensibly to induce a guilty verdict on something. That charge carried up to four years in prison.
The jury ended up agreeing — but quite to the opposite effect that the prosecution might have hoped, as they found him not guilty unanimously on the lesser charge in just hours on Monday.
Speaking after the verdict, Penny said he’d do it all over again if he had to.
“I’ll take a million court appearances and people calling me names and people hating me, just to keep one of those people from getting hurt or killed,” Penny told Fox News interviewers, according to The Associated Press.
Penny still faces the possibility of a civil action by Neely’s relatives. Judging by the jury’s verdict and the outpouring of support, however, one can only hope that public sentiment convinces saner heads to prevail there, as well.
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