New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D.) went on a fiery rant Tuesday blaming "the evil of white supremacy" for Daniel Penny’s acquittal in the death of Jordan Neely, a deranged black man whom Penny put in a chokehold on a Manhattan subway car.
"Whenever you feel discomfort from your whiteness, Black people are harmed or killed. And there is never accountability or justice. This is the evil of white supremacy. It spans across geography and political parties and sickens us all," Bowman wrote, addressing his 12-post X thread to "White People."
On Monday, a New York jury found Penny not guilty for the death of Neely, a homeless Michael Jackson impersonator. During the incident last year, Neely threatened passengers, shouting that he was hungry, ready to go to jail, and ready to die, according to witness testimony. Penny—a former Marine trained in how to subdue a dangerous person—placed Neely in a chokehold for six minutes. Neely was pronounced dead an hour later.
"[Neely] was sick. He was not a threat. He was subdued. Still not a threat," Bowman wrote Tuesday. "Daniel Penny choked him for 6 minutes. And killed him. We all watched it on camera, and he was still acquitted."
Neely, who a toxicology report would later show was high on K2, or synthetic marijuana, had a long history of mental illness and homelessness as well as an extensive arrest record.
Bowman said Neely’s death was the "latest" of "countless incidents of brutal police violence and killings," citing the deaths of George Floyd, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Trayvon Martin, and Breonna Taylor.
"The trauma from their murders lives in my bones," Bowman said. "I marvel at the beauty and greatness of my people in spite of white supremacy. That is what I will continue to lean on."
"RIP Jordan Neely. The justice system failed you. Kyle Ritenhouse [sic] and Daniel Penny are free. You’re gone. We must still fight," Bowman concluded.
Bowman, who is a member of the far-left "Squad," lost his reelection bid this year in a race that largely centered on Bowman's hostility toward the Jewish state.