Overview

• Daniel Penny, a former Marine, was acquitted in December 2024 of criminally negligent homicide in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man with a history of mental illness.
• Andreessen Horowitz, a prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm, has hired Penny as a deal partner on its American Dynamism team, which focuses on sectors like defense, public safety, and aerospace.
• In an internal memo, firm partner David Ulevitch praised Penny for his actions during the 2023 subway incident and emphasized the firm's policy of evaluating individuals holistically.
• Penny's hiring has drawn public attention, with Vice President JD Vance celebrating the news and others continuing to debate the broader implications of the case.
• The incident and trial highlighted issues of race, mental health, and public safety, sparking national discussions about self-defense and accountability in public spaces.