Dec. 13 (UPI) — Vice President-elect JD Vance confirmed Friday that Daniel Penny, who was found not guilty in the chokehold death of a man on a New York City Subway train, will be his guest for an upcoming NCAA football game.
Vance confirmed the news on X that Penny, 26, will accompany him to the upcoming Army-Navy Game.
“Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone,” Vance said on X.
“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.”
The 2024 edition of the game between the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen and U.S. Military Academy Black Knights takes place Saturday at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md.
Penny last week was found not guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the May 1, 2023 death of Jordan Neely.
A Manhattan jury previously deadlocked twice on the more-serious charge of second-degree manslaughter and the judge dismissed that charge against the ex-marine.
Jurors deliberated for around 20 hours in the case.
Penny initially pleaded not guilty to all charges after he was arrested in the death of Neely, 30, a street performer who was homeless at the time.
Prosecutors argued Neely never physically threatened anyone aboard the MTA F train and that Penny’s use of force was excessive.
Penny said Neely was verbally threatening passengers which justified him holding Neely in a chokehold for six minutes on the floor of the train at the Broadway-Lafayette Street station.
Neely lost consciousness and was later declared deceased after being held in the chokehold.
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