CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org

VOCAL-NY RESPONDS TO VERDICT IN DANIEL PENNY MURDER TRIAL

Demands accountability from City & State 

NEW YORK — Today, jurors in the Jordan Neely murder trial acquitted Daniel Penny on the charge of criminally negligent homicide. In response, VOCAL-NY released the following statement, attributable to Neil Berry, a leader with VOCAL-NY:

“This is just a continuous failure to recognize Jordan Neely as a human being. Instead of protecting vulnerable people – and Jordan Neely certainly was one – the Mayor and the Governor have created a level of pessimism and fear that fosters vigilante justice. This decision sets the stage for this to happen again: for more homeless people, or even just loud kids, to be shot or killed because they are perceived to be potential threats.

This is reminiscent of the Bernhard Goetz subway shooting in 1984 where Goetz shot four youths on the subway, paralyzing one of his victims. Just like Daniel Penny, Goetz took it upon himself to harm people on the subway that he deemed ‘a threat’. 

There has been an injustice committed; there needs to be accountability for the fact that Jordan Neely lost his life. This case will harm and scare people who are seen as invisible or a danger when they walk into a subway station. Are unhoused New Yorkers’ lives not worth the same as other subway riders because they sleep on the train? My ultimate question is, what’s next? I fear that the answer is more violence. “

BACKGROUND:

The Mayor Adams administration has continuously increased law enforcement presence and involuntary commitment on the subways under the guise of public safety while targeting the most vulnerable members of NYC. As has Governor Hochul. At the same time both New York State and City have chronically underfunded or outright cut the lifesaving services that are the appropriate response to supporting vulnerable communities. 

Instead of receiving care from their government, people experiencing homelessness have been subjected to unsafe and negligent treatment by the NYPD. Similarly, Governor Hochul unleashed the National Guard in March of 2024, criminalizing low-income, marginalized New Yorkers who have been racially profiled for decades. These practices are not effective.

VOCAL-NY has long demanded for housing and care instead of criminalization as the only path forward to eliminate this type of violence. Solutions like respite centers, long-term community-based care, and health-first, non-police crisis response all exist, but the political will to enact them is lacking. 

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