Daniel Penny’s Fight To Be Free Illustrates Leftists’ Hierarchical, Two-Tiered Justice System
On Wednesday, a Manhattan judge denied a motion to dismiss several indictments filed against Marine Daniel Penny in relation to the death of an erratic ex-convict.
The incident in question occurred on May 21, when Jordan Neely — who had been arrested 44 times for “criminal conduct” and, at the time, “had an outstanding warrant for felony assault” — began threatening and getting violent with NYC subway passengers. During the episode, Neely allegedly kept repeating the phrases, “I’m going to kill you,” “I’m prepared to go to jail for life,” and “I’m willing to die.”
In response, Penny and two of his fellow passengers attempted to restrain Neely, which involved the former placing the latter in a headlock. Neely ultimately died during the encounter, with NYC’s medical examiner ruling the death a homicide.
Penny — who is currently free on $100,000 bail — was indicted by a grand jury in June “on one count each of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree manslaughter.” If convicted, the former Marine could face up to 19 years in prison, according to the New York Post.
In his Wednesday ruling, Judge Maxwell Wiley reportedly denied Penny’s motion to dismiss the manslaughter case “because of alleged issues with prosecutors’ instructions to the grand jury and claims that the medical examiner didn’t establish that Penny’s actions killed Neely.” According to the Post, Wiley claimed Neely’s death certificate and testimony from the case’s medical examiner provided enough corroboration to “establish that defendant’s actions caused the death of Neely.”
Penny’s next court hearing is scheduled for March 20.
Unequal Application of the Law
Whereas Penny‘s ongoing prosecution and the criminalization of defending oneself and others against a threatening agitator is egregious, what’s particularly offensive is city residents’ unequal application of a single standard of justice for individuals who partake in similar acts of alleged misconduct.
Similar to Penny, Queens resident Jordan Williams — who is black — was charged by a Brooklyn prosecutor in June for his role in the death of an ex-convict on a Brooklyn subway. Video footage of the incident reportedly showed ex-con Devictor Ouedraogo “choking Williams and slugging his girlfriend,” actions which resulted in Williams stabbing Ouedraogo and the latter’s death.
This led prosecutors to charge Williams with “manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon.”
Unlike Penny, however, prosecutors’ request that Williams be placed on a $100,000 cash bail was denied by a local judge. Less than a month later, a grand jury dismissed Williams’ charges altogether.
Neither Penny nor Williams should have been charged in the first place. Both men were clearly defending themselves and others against threatening, violent agitators. But NYC residents’ decision to indict Penny and not Williams is further emblematic of Democrats’ hierarchical worldview.
The American left doesn’t believe in a single standard of justice. Rather, it supports and actively fosters a system that levies punishment based on one’s political affiliation or identitarian features such as race or sexual orientation — not the merits of the case. It’s through this distorted worldview that NYC Democrats believe that Williams — who is black and therefore “oppressed” — should go unpunished while Penny — who is white, therefore privileged and an “oppressor” — should have the book thrown at him.
For Democrats, the facts of a case don’t matter. All that matters is whether the person on trial is wearing their team’s jersey. Everything else is secondary.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
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