After five days of deliberation, the jury found Mr. Penny not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of killing 30-year-old Jordan Neely on a train in New York City on May 1, 2023.
Due to jurors’ inability to agree, prosecutors decided to withdraw a more serious charge of second-degree manslaughter on Friday, which led to the verdict.
The jury were able to proceed to the second lower charge of criminally negligent homicide as a result of the move.
The Manhattan courtroom erupted in cheers when the verdict was announced on Monday. Mr. Penny seemed to be grinning as his lawyers embraced.
Andre Zachery, Mr. Neely’s father, was taken out of the courtroom for shouting following the verdict. Out there, cries of “no justice, no peace,” reverberated.
