This is a case that has taken on a national dimension. A fundraiser in support of a former Marine accused of strangling a homeless man on the New York subway was a huge hit on Sunday. A popular far-right website has raised more than $1.6 million.
By midday, more than 36,000 people had responded to the call for donations by the law firm Raiser & Kenniff, which is defending Daniel Penny. This 24-year-old white man, who has retired from the army, was charged with “manslaughter” by a New York court on Friday and was released on $100,000 bail.
He is accused of causing the May 1 death by “compression” of the neck of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old black homeless man known for his resemblance and impersonations to singer Michael Jackson. A video of the drama, which prompted strong emotions, shows the victim on the ground for five minutes, with Daniel Penny lying behind and limping him. She fights before she moves.
The case has divided the country greatly
The former soldier’s lawyers assure in their appeal for donations that he “risked his life to protect the passengers of the New York subway from an attacker”. A witness told AFP that Jordan Neely did indeed burst into the car and yelled at the passengers, but he did not physically assault anyone.
The call for donations was launched on the GiveSendGo platform, which bills itself as “the premier crowdfunding site for free Christians” and is known for raising funds for far-right figures who are excluded from other sites.
It was delivered by the very conservative Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has presidential ambitions. “We support Good Samaritans like Daniel Penny. Let’s show this Marine that America has his back!” he tweeted.
The case is sharply dividing the country: The right, which accuses the Democrats of being lax about crime, congratulates Daniel Perry on posing as a “vigilante” and acting in “self-defense”. The Left deplores an act of violence against a mentally ill man, which it says reflects deep socioeconomic and racial inequalities in the city.