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Geraldo Rivera Shocks People with 'Unusually Lucid' Take on NYC Subway Incident: 'Kudos to You'

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Fox News personality Geraldo Rivera stunned many on Twitter when he shared an unusually thoughtful take on the upcoming trial of Marine Corps veteran Daniel Penny in the Jordan Neely chokehold case.

The former daytime TV mainstay and dedicated liberal predicted the 24-year-old New Yorker ultimately will be found not guilty of manslaughter in the May 1 incident that proved fatal for Neely.

The mentally disturbed homeless man entered a New York subway car and reportedly threatened passengers and declared he was ready to serve a sentence of life in prison.

Such a statement could be interpreted by a rational person as a death threat.

Tensions are high right now in the city given the uptick in overall violence and especially how dangerous New York’s transit system is.

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Penny surely was not aware of Neely’s lengthy and troubling criminal record when he subdued the man, but people who ride the subway have every right to be vigilant.

Leftist Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg did not see it that way. Penny is now facing a charge of second-degree manslaughter with a potential prison term of up to 15 years.

Rivera hypothesized online Monday that Penny will never see a day in prison.

The TV host pointed out the case has divided Americans but noted Neely’s past as a public menace.

Do you agree with Rivera?

“Like the Bernhard Goetz ‘Subway Vigilante’ case, which I covered back in the 1980’s, a jury will decide whether Penny was reasonably justified in using deadly physical force to subdue the troubled Neely,” Rivera said in his Twitter post.

“Remember, the jury acquitted Goetz of all charges (except possession of an illegal weapon),” he said. “That acquittal is a likely outcome in this case. Neely’s death seems a tragic accident, not a reckless homicide.”

Rivera’s take on the case was noted by some for its profound and rare lucidity, given the source:

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Of course, the 79-year-old did have his detractors:

Meanwhile, one person was still curious as to where Al Capone’s buried treasure is after Rivera failed to find it in what was one of the most anticlimactic moments in 1980s television:

Rivera has long been ridiculed for his head-scratching opinions and flawed arguments, but he apparently has a few curveballs left.

He got it right on this one.

Judging from what is publicly known about the Neely case, it’s clear Penny acted to defend himself and others.

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Johnathan Jones has worked as a reporter, an editor, and producer in radio, television and digital media.
Johnathan "Kipp" Jones has worked as an editor and producer in radio and television. He is a proud husband and father.




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