Paris Train Hero on Penny Trial: ‘This Could Happen to You’
Former Oregon National Guard Spc. Alek Skarlatos, now a representative-elect to the State House, has expressed concern over the manslaughter trial of New York Marine veteran Daniel Penny, who is charged in the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man with a lengthy criminal history.
Penny, 26, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. Neely, 30, had a long rap sheet, a history of mental illness, and an active arrest warrant at the time of his death.
During the trial, jurors began deliberating on Tuesday, following a trial that saw Penny’s defense attorney, Steven Raiser, argue that his client was responding to Neely’s death threats and did not recognize him as a person. Manhattan prosecutor Dafna Yoran countered by saying Penny “didn’t recognize that Jordan Neely was a person” and that “he saw him as a person that needed to be eliminated.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams appeared to defend Penny, saying that the city’s mental health system is a “complete failure” and that Penny was responding to Neely’s death threats. Adams also criticized the use of a photo of Neely used by the media, saying it gave the impression that Neely was a “young innocent child” who was “brutally murdered.”
Skarlatos, who is known for his heroism in stopping a terrorist attack on a Paris train in 2015, said that the trial is concerning to anyone who thinks of themselves as “someone who would step up.” He urged people to remember that “this could happen to you” and that it is important to have a system in place to support those who are willing to take action in the face of danger.
The case has sparked debate over the use of force in self-defense and the handling of mental health issues.