Daniel Penny, special guest in Trump's suite for Army-Navy game
The young New Yorker was at the center of one of the most high-profile trials of the year. He confirmed his attendance alongside JD Vance, who called the indictment a "scandal."
Donald Trump, JD Vance and Daniel Penny
Vice President-elect JD Vance invited former Marine Daniel Penny to the traditional Army-Navy football game. Penny accepted, so next Saturday he will share a suite with Vance and Donald Trump.
The invitation comes days after the architecture student was acquitted of the murder of Jordan Neely in the New York subway, a high-profile case that sparked nationwide reactions. The jury determined that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Penny's chokehold caused Neely's death and concluded that he acted in defense of the other passengers.
"Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney [Alvin Bragg] tried to ruin his life for having a backbone," JD Vance wrote Friday. "I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage."
After learning of the verdict, the Republican said he had avoided commenting on the case so as not to "negatively" influence the jury. The acquittal, he said, was an act of justice. "It was a scandal Penny was ever prosecuted in the first place."
The 125th Army-Navy game will take place next Saturday at 3 p.m. (EST) at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
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