United States Marine Corps veteran Daniel Penny’s defense fund has grown massively since his being charged following a chokehold that killed a homeless man. Penny, who rendered aide to save the homeless man’s life following the encounter, has seen his defense fund reach over $1.5 million in recent days.
The lawyers of the 24-year-old Penny were present at his arraignment on Friday where one count of second-degree manslaughter was announced as the charge. According to Fox News, prosecutors said that the homeless man was “making threats and scaring passengers” before Penny inserted himself. Penny’s lawyers, Thomas Kenniff and Steven Kaiser, started the fundraiser on GiveSendGo. Kenniff said the following to Fox News Digital:
“The outpouring of generosity and support for Daniel Penny, is beyond anything we could have imagined. Daniel is incredibly grateful for the support of so many New Yorkers.”
Among the many donations that Penny’s defense fund has received, some stars have been seen donating to the former Marine. Kid Rock headlines that group, according to The American Tribune:
Many of the donations have come in the form of $10, $15, $20, and $25 increments, a sign that Americans largely stand by Penny, recognizing simultaneously his heroism and Bragg’s blatant partisan hackery.
However, many notable celebrities have contributed larger amounts to Penny’s defense fund, including outspoken musician Kid Rock. Writing a check for $5,000, he added a note blasting Bragg.
“Mr. Penny is a hero. Alvin Bragg is a POS,” Kid Rock said in a memo alongside the donation.
I’ve been in touch with Daniel’s team. He’s obviously been down.
The support you all are showing is lifting his spirits.
Don’t let DA Alvin Bragg’s bullshit go unnoticed.
Jordan Neely only received 4 months for attempting to kidnap a 7 year old little girl.
Daniel Penny is… pic.twitter.com/BmVAVUSqVm
— Amiri King (@AmiriKing) May 12, 2023
For those that missed it, Trending Politics offered a brief summary of what transpired on the train when Penny put the homeless man in a chokehold:
The charges against Penny were filed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, after Neely, a homeless man with a history of arrests, died following an altercation where Penny subdued him on a subway train. Bragg, the well-known DA, has been popularized for his political persecution and indictment against former President Donald J. Trump.
Penny’s defense team argues that he acted to protect other passengers who were being threatened. The law firm started the defense fund, which has garnered significant support on the crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo. The funds will be used to cover Penny’s legal fees and potential civil lawsuits, with any excess being donated to a mental health advocacy program in New York City.
If convicted, Penny could face a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison. He has been released on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court again in July.
The Post Millennial explained that although it may be unclear whether Penny should have acted in that way, passengers on the train were grateful that he did. They wrote:
The unearthed full footage revealed passengers complimenting Penny for taking action. It also shows Penny and one other passenger arranging Neely’s body in the “recovery position” in an attempt to ensure that he would be okay. A passenger off screen can be heard saying “he’ll be alright.” Neely appears to be moving late in the video.
The featured image is a screenshot from an embedded Tweet.
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