Steube wants to award man acquitted in NYC subway killing with Congressional Gold Medal
SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE — U.S. Rep. Greg Steube is co-sponsoring legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Daniel Penny, the man acquitted of criminally negligent homicide after he placed a homeless man in a chokehold on a New York City subway, which led to the man’s death.
The Sarasota Republican claimed in a Tweet the charges against Penny were motivated by “racial grievance politics.”
“Even after the manslaughter charge was dismissed, (New York District Attorney) Alvin Bragg continues his crusade against this heroic former Marine who bravely stood up to protect his fellow Americans,” Steube said.
Jordan Neely, the man killed in the interaction, was homeless, suffered from schizophrenia, and was high on synthetic marijuana as he threatened subway passengers one day in May 2023 − Penny among them. Penny put Neely in a chokehold for about six minutes, even after the man stopped resisting, and a New York City medical examiner ruled the cause of death as “compression of the neck.”
Penny was initially also charged with second-degree manslaughter. The trial’s prosecution asked the judge to dismiss that after a jury deadlock. His attorneys argued that he acted to defend his fellow subway passengers, while the prosecution said Penny was overzealous and acted “recklessly.”
Penny became another figure in America’s polarized political culture, as conservative media came to his defense after video of Neely’s death became public, through the six-week trial, and celebrated him as a hero after his acquittal.
Steube is one of six House representatives to co-sponsor the bill, which was initially introduced by Rep. Elijah Crane, an Arizona Republican, the day Penny was acquitted.
The Congressional Gold Medal is among the highest honors the United States government can award a civilian, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Previous award recipients include the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marchers, Neil Armstrong, and Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama.
