Dear New Yorkers,

Daniel Penny was acquitted yesterday by a Manhattan jury in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely on a crowded F train last year.

The killing had electrified the city, and triggered contentious debates about public safety on the subways. Penny, an ex-Marine, had held Neely, a homeless street performer, in a six-minute chokehold after Neely had raged on the train but hadn’t physically accosted anyone.

Penny walked out of Manhattan Supreme Court a free man after the jury found him not guilty of negligent homicide. It was the only remaining charge after a judge dismissed the top charge of manslaughter last Friday.

After the verdict, ers of Neely emerged from the courtroom inflamed, with one woman wailing openly while she was comforted by another onlooker. Penny and his lawyers left the courtroom briskly, without addressing the throngs of reporters gathered outside. 

Just after the verdict was delivered, Neely’s father, Andre Zachery, spoke to reporters outside the courthouse. 

“I miss my son. My son didn’t have to go through this,” Zachery said.

Read more here about the Penny verdict.

Weather 🌧️

Clouds and rain today, with highs in the low 50s.

MTA 🚇 

No L between 14th Street-Union Square and 8th Avenue overnight, and more. Find all the MTA’s planned changes and the latest delays here.

Alternate side parking 🚙 

It’s in effect today, Dec. 10.

Our Other Top Stories

  • NYPD officials say the suspected killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is in custody in Pennsylvania after evading arrest for more than five days. He was identified as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch at a press conference at City Hall Monday afternoon with Mayor Eric Adams. A reporter asked if similar resources were being expended to track down the killer of 17-year-old Yeremi Colino, a teen living at a migrant shelter who was fatally stabbed in Lower Manhattan the day after Thomson’s killing. Adams didn’t provide an update on the Colino case, but said: “Any loss is a huge, huge loss.”
  • On the latest episode of FAQ NYC, the hosts dig into how Trumpworld is reportedly laughing at a “Thirsty” Adams, the limits of the mayor’s new “cancel me” appeal and his recent talk of scaling back New York’s sanctuary city law even if lawmakers won’t go along. Listen here.

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

  • Saturday, Dec. 14: Take a candlelit, self-guided tour of the Van Cortlandt House Museum in The Bronx from 4 to 7 p.m. ission is $5 for adults, $3 for children and seniors and free for kids under 12. 
  • Friday, Dec. 13: Watch the Geminid meteor shower at an event at Seba Playground in Marine Park, Brooklyn, from 7 to 9 p.m.. Bring your own binoculars or telescope if you have them. 
  • Friday, Dec. 13 through Sunday, Dec. 15: Check out a ceramics holiday market with work from more than 30 local artists, hosted by BrickHouse Ceramic Art Center in Long Island City. Hours vary by day.

THE KICKER: Just kidding — there can be permitted firework displays in city parks for New Year’s after all, now that drought conditions have lessened. Adams lifted a citywide flame and fireworks ban yesterday morning, which means that you can grill now, too. 

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Tuesday.

Love,

THE CITY

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Xian Chiang-Waren is THE CITY's audience manager for newsletters.