Can Trump Save Marine Daniel Penny? Ron DeSantis Says ‘America’s Got His Back’ in NYC Choking Case

On Tuesday, closing arguments in the Daniel Penny trial will resume. Charges have been brought against the 26-year-old Marine veteran for choking homeless man Jordan Neely, 30, to death on a New York City train. In New York City, prosecutors will attempt to persuade the jury that Penny’s behavior was improper. The defense urged jurors on Monday to see themselves as frightened subway commuters. According to the prosecution, Penny’s reaction to Neely was too forceful and irresponsible.

According to Penny, who clung on Neely’s neck for almost six minutes in 2023, he was defending other passengers. Consequently, he pleaded not guilty to charges of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree manslaughter. In the hospital, Neely was pronounced dead. The cause of his death was identified as homicide by compression of the neck. Ramaswamy and other Republicans back Daniel Penny. Several prominent Republicans are calling for Penny’s release.

Vivek Ramaswamy, who will co-lead Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency with entrepreneur Elon Musk, has donated $10,000 to Penny’s defense fund. Ramaswamy asserted in a statement that he wanted to “restore the rule of law in America.” Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has also been a huge supporter of Penny. He claimed in a social media post, “Let’s show this Marine…America’s got his back.”

Can Daniel Penny get pardoned by Trump?

In a May 2023 article, the progressive news website Mother Jones claimed that Trump had been mute about the Penny problem prior to the November 5 presidential election, perhaps in order to keep supporters from becoming unhappy. However, since he was elected, Trump is more inclined to think about pardons, especially in light of President Joe Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter, who was convicted of shooting charges. The Republican leader often declared during the campaign trial that he would free his supporters serving jail sentences for the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riots.

Legal experts claim that the January 6 rioters were charged with federal crimes and that presidents are not able to pardon individuals for state charges. According to New York University law scholar Stephen Gillers, who spoke to Newsweek, the president’s pardon power only applies to federal criminal liability. “It doesn’t affect state criminal liability.” He noted that Trump might order the Justice Department to testify in state court as an amicus for the state lawsuit. The Justice Department’s amicus brief may persuade a judge to impose a lighter sentence if Penny is found guilty.