Rep.-elect Brandon Gill (R-Texas) said the nation needs “a lot more Daniel Pennys,” calling the Marine veteran who was found not guilty of homicide Monday in the New York City subway trial a “patriot.”
“I don’t know about you all, but I think we need a lot more. Daniel Penny’s in this country because we have far too many Jordan Neely’s,” Gill said at a New York Young Republican’s Club event Sunday evening.
Penny, 26, was charged with manslaughter in the death of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man who had been shouting at passengers and accting erractically on a suway train car on May 1, 2023. Neely died after Penny placed him in a headlock. Penny argued he was protecting himself and other passengers on the subway car.
Penny was acquitted on the charge of criminally negligent homiced last week. Earlier, a jury had failed to be able to reach a verdict on the more serious charge of manslaughter, leading Judge Maxwell Wiley to dismiss that charge of manslaughter at the request of prosecutors.
Neely’s father, Andre Zachary, filed a civil suit against Penny last week, accusing the Marine veteran of battery, assault and negligence in Neely’s death. The suit was filed in New York Supreme Court.
Gill joins other GOP leaders in praising Penny. Vice President-elect JD Vance confirmed Friday that he invited Penny to be his guest at the Army-Navy college football gameover the weekend, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) encouraged Penny to sue Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for “malicious prosecution.”
