Do Americans Still Have the Right to Defend Themselves? Curtis Silwa Voices Alarm in Crossroads Interview

The safety patrol chief claims it is increasingly difficult for citizens to protect themselves in cities like New York amid a contorted legal system

Daniel Penny (C) is walked by New York Police Department detectives detectives out of the 5th Precinct in New York on May 12, 2023. Jeenah Moon/AP Photo

States like New York are compromising an individual’s right to defend themselves, the founder of nonprofit safety patrol group “Guardian Angels” Curtis Silwa, said in a recent interview while discussing the Neely murder case.

On May 1, Jordan Neely, a homeless man with a history of mental illness, was reportedly threatening passengers on a New York subway. Daniel Penny, a 24-year-old former marine, approached Neely from behind and put him in a chokehold, with two other individuals joining in to restrain Neely. The move ended up killing Neely. Penny is now facing charges of second-degree manslaughter and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted. In a May 24 EpochTV interview with Joshua Philipp, Silwa was asked about the right course of action in this situation.