(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) Daniel Penny, a retired Marine and New York City subway hero, has raised more than $2 million after George-Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged him with the death of a homeless man, the Epoch Times reported.
Thomas Kenniff and Steven Raiser, Penny’s lawyers, launched the fundraising campaign on GiveSendGo, a conservative-friendly crowdfunding website.
As of Monday morning, more than 43,000 people had made individual donations to the campaign, which has been shared by more than 10,000.
Penny, 24, has been charged by Bragg with second-degree manslaughter for his alleged choking of Jordan Neely, 30, whom he had restrained in a headlock. He could face up to 15 years in prison in New York state.
Previewing their likely legal defense, Penny’s lawyers maintained that he was “protecting individuals on a NYC subway train from an assailant who later died.”
Prosecuting attorneys likewise acknowledged that Neely, who has a criminal record, was “making threats and scaring passengers,” the Epoch Times reported.
An anonymous witness said that Neely was obviously undergoing a mental episode as he ranted wildly and violently while on the subway on May 1.
“He said, ‘I don’t care. I’ll take a bullet. I’ll go to jail’ because he would kill people on the train,” the witness said of Neely. “He said, ‘I would kill a [expletive]. I don’t care. I’ll take a bullet. I’ll go to jail.’”
Other witnesses noted that Penny only got involved when Neely became a serious threat to others on the train.
According to GiveSendGo, all money raised for Penny will be used to cover legal fees for the current lawsuit, along with lawsuits doubtless coming down the pipeline in the future.
“Funds are being raised to pay Mr. Penny’s legal fees incurred from any criminal charges filed and any future civil lawsuits that may arise, as well as expenses related to his defense,” wrote Penny’s lawyers.
“All contributions are greatly appreciated,” they added. “Any proceeds collected which exceed those necessary to cover Mr. Penny’s legal defense will be donated to a mental health advocacy program in New York City.”
Kenniff thanked Penny’s supporters for their “outpouring of generosity,” their support being “beyond anything we could have imagined.”
He concluded by noting that “Daniel is incredibly grateful for the support of so many New Yorkers.”
