A jury consultant who helped select the jury in Kyle Rittenhouse‘s trial is now working with Daniel Penny’s defense team.
Penny, a 25-year-old former Marine, is charged with second-degree manslaughter and negligent homicide. He is accused of choking and killing 30-year-old Jordan Neely on a New York City subway in 2023. Neely, a well-known Michael Jackson impersonator, boarded the subway and reportedly began threatening people. Penny allegedly approached him from behind and placed him in a chokehold.
Neely was later pronounced dead at a hospital. His death was ruled a homicide by compression of the neck.
High-profile jury consultant Jo-Ellan Dimitrius has been seen with Penny’s legal team every day since October 21, when jury selection started.
AP Photo/John Minchillo and Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images
Dimitrius has worked as a jury consultant for decades and helped select juries for trials involving O.J. Simpson, Rodney King and Kobe Bryant. She also helped select the jury in Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial.
Rittenhouse was acquitted of first-degree intentional homicide and several other charges in 2021 related to the fatal shooting of two Black Lives Matter protesters in Wisconsin.
AP Photo
Neely’s family joined Black Lives Matter members in New York to speak out against Dimitrius’ involvement in the jury selection.
“I’m not going to sit here and I’m going to play deaf, dumb and blind and act like I don’t know the reason why they hired this person to come and represent Daniel Penny,” Christian Neely, Jordan’s uncle, said at the protest. ” All I can say is that I believe in the prosecution. I believe in New York City.
Eight jurors have been selected so far. A panel of 12 jurors and four alternates will be chosen before opening statements are given.
Penny is facing five to 15 years in prison for the manslaughter charge and up to four years for the negligent homicide charge if convicted.
Who is Jordan Neely?
Neely frequently performed as a Michael Jackson impersonator in Times Square, on subways and in subway stations.
He began struggling with his mental health after his mother was murdered. Neely was 14 years old at the time.
Neely also struggled with homelessness and drug use.
His 2023 funeral was attended by family, friends, elected officials and others who wanted to honor Neely. Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy.
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
“Jordan was not annoying someone on the train. Jordan was screaming for help,” Sharpton said. “We keep criminalizing people with mental illness.”
Protesters who stand with Neely have gathered outside of the courthouse during jury selection. Some held signs reading “Rest in Power Jordan Neely.”
Who is Daniel Penny?
Penny is a former Marine sergeant. He served as a rifleman to Camp Lejeune from 2017 to 2021.
He also deployed to the Mediterranean with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
A fund started for Penny’s legal defense has raised over $3 million.
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