NYC Mayor Eric Adams Defends Daniel Penny, Criticizes Media For Misleading Portrayal Of Jordan Neely

Adams also took aim at the media, accusing it of misleading the public with an overly sympathetic portrayal of Neely, a homeless man with a history of mental illness and violent behavior.

Speaking at a recent press event, Adams, a Democrat, described Penny’s actions as a reflection of what the city itself should have been doing to address its mental health crisis. “You have someone on that subway who was responding, doing what we should have done as a city in a state of having a mental health facility,” Adams said, pointing to policy failures that left Neely a dangerous threat to others.

Adams criticized the media for its depiction of Neely as an innocent victim, referencing the widely circulated photo of Neely dressed as a Michael Jackson impersonator. “It seemed like it was a young, innocent child who was brutally murdered, and it gave that impression,” Adams said. “When you look at the photo that was being used, it wanted to set up in the minds of people that we were dealing with a young, innocent child, just a Michael Jackson imitator that was just brutally assaulted.”

The depiction of Penny as motivated to harm Neely due to racism is also inaccurate since Penny only subdued him after he threatened to kill others on the subway. Additionally, Neely was alive when police arrived, but the NYPD chose not to provide aid.

The mayor’s comments highlight growing frustration among New Yorkers with what many see as the city’s soft-on-crime policies and the consequences of "progressive" governance. Adams has faced mounting pressure to address the city’s surging crime rates, deteriorating public safety, and overburdened social services system—issues exacerbated by mass immigration and lenient criminal justice reforms.

Adams’ defense of Penny stands in stark contrast to the media and activist portrayal of the case, which has largely framed Penny as a “vigilante” whose actions were racially motivated. Critics argue this narrative ignores the complex reality of the situation: Neely, who had over 40 prior arrests, was reportedly behaving erratically and making threats to passengers on the subway when Penny restrained him. The prosecutor in Penny's case has also demonstrated prejudice against him for being white.

While some progressive voices have criticized Adams for supporting Penny, others see his statements as a rare acknowledgment of the challenges average citizens face.

The trial, which could result in a 15-year prison sentence for Penny, remains a focal point in the ongoing debate over public safety in New York City.

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