Fox News Contributor Says Of Marine Who Choked Homeless Man to Death: ‘This Should Be Encouraged’

Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo vigorously defended Daniel Penny, the man who choked Jordan Neely to death on a New York City subway train, saying, “good Samaritans are needed and should be encouraged” to react as Penny did.

“Look, Harris, Mr. Penny was trained to defend the innocent,” Arroyo said on Thursday’s The Faulkner Focus. “His training as a Marine — I think it was probably instinctive when he saw people being threatened and menaced on that train. He sprang into action and mitigated the threat. He obviously didn’t intend to kill Mr. Neely; otherwise he wouldn’t have helped the cops perform CPR, as his lawyer attested, when they were doing it incorrectly, but he as a Marine knew how to do it.”

Veterans and demonstrators clashed with police at a pro-Penny rally in New York Wednesday after Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (R) called for “over-politicized” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) to drop the manslaughter charges against Penny.

“I thought it was wonderful seeing the 60 veterans standing behind the Nassau County executive,” Arroyo continued. “But what a pity that people have to come from other boroughs to remind Alvin Bragg that good Samaritans are needed and should be encouraged, particularly at a time when you have scads of mentally ill people and drug addled people roaming the streets of New York and the subways. This is something that should be encouraged, not discouraged, and certainly not prosecuted. The guy was just acting in self-defense and protecting his fellow citizens.”

Neely’s death on May 1 has been condemned by Black leaders, including The Rev. Al Sharpton, who gave the eulogy at Neely’s funeral. Neely’s family has said he showed symptoms of mental illness after witnessing the killing of his mother when he was a teen. According to The New York Times, the 30-year old homeless man had been on a watch list that helps authorities keep track of “New Yorkers of most concern.”

“You know, that’s where that New York City Councilwoman started — of course we have a heart for people who need help,” Harris Faulkner said. “She said the system let Jordan Neely down and she said the system is currently, unless they correct, letting Daniel Penny down.”

Watch The Faulkner Focus clip above.