Long Island native Daniel Penny, acquitted in subway chokehold death, lands job with Andreessen Horowitz venture capital firm, lawyer confirms

Daniel Penny, the Long Island native and Marine vet acquitted of manslaughter charges in the death of a homeless man on a New York City subway train last year, has landed a job at a $45 billion venture capital firm.

The company, Andreessen Horowitz, an early backer of Skype, Airbnb and Twitter, posted a photo of Penny on the company’s website, describing him as a "deal partner" on the "American Dynamism" team.

The firm did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment, but Penny’s defense lawyer Steven Raiser confirmed the hire.

"He will learn the business of investing and he will work to support our portfolio companies," said David Ulevitch, a general partner at the firm, according to the website Free Press, which first reported the hire.

Penny, 26, formerly of West Islip, stood trial for eight weeks last fall for manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide after he put Jordan Neely in a chokehold.

Neely, who suffered from mental illness and drug addiction, boarded an F train in May 2023 and began demanding food and soda, threatening that "someone is going to die today."

Passengers testified they were terrified for their lives until Penny put Neely in a chokehold and brought him to the subway floor, where prosecutors said they struggled for nearly six minutes.

The case became a dividing line in the culture war in the city and beyond.

Some saw Penny as a hero who stepped up and saved passengers from a violent menace. Others saw a racial double standard when Penny, who is white, was not initially arrested or charged in the death of Neely, who was Black. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg won an indictment more than a week after the altercation amid a public outcry.

During the trial, protesters could be heard in the courtroom from the street below demanding justice for Neely, who was 30.

Prosecutors, who acknowledged Penny had "good intentions" in restraining Neely, opted to drop the second-degree manslaughter charge after the jury deadlocked on their verdict. The panel acquitted him of the criminally negligent homicide charge.

"I believe, as I know many of you do, that Daniel acted with courage in a tough situation," Ulevitch said in his hiring memo, according to the Free Press. "He was acquitted of all charges. Beyond that, it has always been our policy to evaluate the entire person and not judge them for the worst moment in their entire life."

Penny has been trying to put the trial behind him, according to Raiser.

He attended the Army-Navy football game last year at the invitation of then-Vice President elect JD Vance.

According to the Andreessen Horowitz website, the American Dynamism team is geared toward identifying and supporting civic-minded founders ready to lead America. They specialize in "companies advancing the national interest, from the last mile to low Earth orbit."

Ulevitch told employees Penny would assist in partnering with defense contractors and public safety interests, according to the Free Press.

The firm's founders, Marc Andreessen, a tech entrepreneur who developed the first internet web browser, and Ben Horowitz, a venture capitalist, backed the Trump/Vance ticket last year after becoming disillusioned by the Biden administration, according to an interview on their company podcast.

Penny could not be reached directly for comment, but Raiser said, "We are very proud of Danny and wish him great success."