Daniel Penny

The New York Times highlights a writer described as 'ferociously talented' examining the subway death that divided New York. The killing of Jordan Neely on a subway train, and the trial and acquittal of Daniel Penny in his death, split public opinion over race, mental illness and vigilantism. The piece adds a literary perspective to a case that still stirs strong feelings in the city.

A new book titled 'Man in the Mirror' recounts the life of Jordan Neely, the homeless street performer who died in May 2023 after being placed in a chokehold by Daniel Penny on a New York City subway train. The killing sparked protests and a highly charged criminal trial, in which Penny was acquitted. The book revisits Neely's story and the wider debate over race, mental illness and public safety that surrounded his death.