Opening arguments begin in Daniel Penny trial

(NewsNation) — Opening arguments The trial of Daniel Penny Friday morning began with both the prosecution and defense presenting their arguments in the case.

It is also possible to call some witnesses.

Penny is accused killing a mentally ill homeless manJordan Neely on the New York City subway.

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jury selection The trial lasted eight days and the jury consisted of five men and seven women.

The defense questioned them during the selection process. All jury members get on the trainand many have previously witnessed explosions important to defense.

Protesters gathered outside the court. Hawk Newsome, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter organization in New York, spoke out against the jury deliberations.

“The majority of people the defense council removed from the jury were black,” he said. “Five Black, two Latino and one Asian. There is one Black man on a jury on the entire island of Manhattan, no more.

Penny said Neely threatened to kill everyone on the train and was prepared to spend the rest of his life in prison, according to court documents.

Penny said she took action, pinning Neely to the ground and forcing him into a choke hold for several minutes.

The former sailor’s lawyers argue he acted in self-defense.

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Prosecutors say Penny had good intentions but went too far and used excessive force.

Penny’s attorneys said they want jurors to understand, from her perspective, what it feels like to be in this stressful situation, trapped in a small box with no way to escape.

They say they reveal Neely’s mental health issues and that he was taking high levels of the drug K2 at the time. They also say the video of the incident is the best evidence they have.

Penny has pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of second-degree manslaughter and up to four years in prison if convicted of criminally negligent homicide.

The trial is expected to last at least a month.

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