MAGA world blasts Daniel Penny indictment, compares slay suspect to Trump

MAGA Republicans are expressing outrage over the indictment of Daniel Penny, while comparing the 24-year-old Marine veteran to former President Donald Trump.

Supporters of the former president exploded on social media Wednesday after a grand jury convened by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg voted to indict Penny, lamenting the decision as a miscarriage of justice. Penny was arrested and arraigned last month on a charge of second-degree manslaughter after he was captured on video apparently choking Jordan Neely to death during a May 1 subway ride in New York City.

Initial reactions to Penny, a white man, killing 30-year-old Neely, a Black street performer with a history of homelessness and mental illness, were wrought with political and racial overtones. Some compared the death of Neely to the 2020 police killing of George Floyd, which sparked massive “Black Lives Matter” protests across the nation and the around the world.

Reactions to the indictment on Wednesday were also dominated by political interpretations of the decision to prosecute Penny, with a significant number of Trump supporters comparing it to the “persecution” of the ex-president. Trump was indicted on 34 felony counts by a Bragg-convened grand jury earlier this year, with 37 more felony counts being added by a federal grand jury last week.

“Between Trump and Penny, we know without doubt that any American is now subject to prison if they: -Oppose Washington -Use self defense,” tweeted Addison Smith, an on-air personality for the conservative One America News Network.

“An absolute injustice based on everything we know so far,” conservative talk radio host Jason Rantz tweeted. “The message? Let a dangerous homeless man threatening people actually … hurt or kill people?”

“Indictment of Daniel Penny is not a prosecution, it’s a PERsecution, and it’s because he is white,” tweeted @LichenCraig. “How many good, innocent people are we going to sacrifice to the lynch mob because we stand up and decide to save our justice system, which is officially worthless?”

“Former Marine ‘Subway Hero’ INDICTED in NYC for saving lives!” @bradleyreed88 tweeted. “ARE YOU FIGURING OUT THERE IS NO JUSTICE FOR AMERICA LOVING PATRIOTS! Trump is 100% RIGHT! THEY WANT US! People like Trump & Daniel Penny are ‘just in the way’ & must be taken down!”

“This week they Indict two heroes … Daniel Penny Donald Trump,” tweeted @Phyllis94584953. “Way to go liberals!”

“Daniel Penny and Donald Trump are all of us,” @UtopiaSpaceman tweeted. “It’s the globalist authoritarian elites versus everyone else.”

“It’s all good thank god that the Injustice system’s takes time and by then Trump will pardon Daniel Penny and give him the medal of bravery:) 2024 cannot come fast enough,” tweeted @TJBERKO18.

“No Justice in a Marxist America … only for Biden; Obama; Clinton; the followers of Satan,” @kastytis complained.

“The country is a complete joke,” tweeted @fafiyalatha. “Radical left wing communist lunatics have completely taken over! Last days of Rome! Criminals exalted, heroes are crushed! #DanielPenny”

Newsweek has reached out to the office of Trump via email for comment.

Penny has said that he did not mean to choke Neely and was attempting to protect other passengers from a perceived threat, while the lawyers representing Neely’s family argue the Marines veteran was negligent and “needs to be in jail.”

A number of Trump supporters aimed their ire toward Bragg, with some calling on Republicans in Congress to investigate the district attorney. At least one commentator baselessly suggested that George Soros, a Jewish billionaire and Democratic megadonor who frequently features in right-wing conspiracy theories, was involved.

“Dear House Republicans: @AlvinBraggNYC is the @GeorgeSoros-funded @ManhattanDA,” tweeted Mike Davis, ex-chief counsel for nominations to Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, the former chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Bragg just indicted Daniel Penny, a Marine and hero, for protecting New Yorkers from a violent thug who previously broke an old lady’s face.”

“@Jim_Jordan is already investigating Bragg, for his bogus indictment of Trump and election interference,” Davis added. “Time to investigate @OpenSociety, including @AlexanderSoros. Soros-funded prosecutors are subversive and dangerous. Why should Congress fund jurisdictions controlled by Soros prosecutors?”

“(RETWEET) if you want Alvin Bragg disbarred for malicious prosecution of Daniel Penny and President Trump,” tweeted @Chicago1Ray.

Prayers needed … Daniel Penny has been indicted in New York City. This POS needs KARMA,” @rdickens31, a self-described “Ultra MAGA Woman,” tweeted alongside a photo of Bragg.

Reaction to the indictment of Penny was not universally negative. Some praised the move, describing its as a step toward justice for the death of Neely.

“Daniel Penny has been indicted by grand jury for NYC subway chokehold killing of Jordan Neely,” tweeted @MajorFactor2. “One step closer to justice being served. #JusticeForJordanNeely.”

“Justice is beginning for #JordanNeely,” @marinastrez tweeted.

“I hope there is justice for Jordan Neely; may he Rest In Power,” tweeted @ExhaustedIsaac.”

“Daniel Penny has been indicted,” @RealTimBlack tweeted. “This is the 2nd step towards justice. Let’s keep it going! Daniel Penny killed Jordan Neely an unarmed man that hadn’t attacked anyone. To the Penny supporters I say: You don’t have to like it. It’s the law.”