Christmas is Coming ...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all, 

my grand and wonderful readers! Your favorite Peasant

extends his Holiday Greetings slightly earlier this year,

as I plan to take an extended Christmastime break.

I have plans to see several friends and to visit with 

a greatly beloved cousin on the phone, as my cousin

lives over 300 miles away and is unable to travel this

Christmas and I am feeling rushed off my feet with all

that I've done and all that I've planned to do at this truly

beautiful time of year. And the rest of the time I'm just

going to loaf around my home with my affectionate cat

Brownie. 

I shall also attend a few Masses at my church, did I tell

you that my church is right next door? Such a blessing!

The Holy Apostles Catholic Church is one of the reasons

why I rented my present place of residence. Very convenient 

and a wonderful place to worship. I have also made quite a few

friends there as well.

Your appreciative Peasant wishes all of you a beautiful, blessed,

heavenly Merry Christmas and a joyous, prosperous Happy New

Year! You are my gifts at Christmas and always!

Gloria in Excelsis Deo!

MEM

Getting Back to Daniel Penny ...

Daniel Penny, the Marine vet who restrained a violent homeless

man while riding the New York City Subway,  was acquitted in

December 2004 for the 2023 death of the erratically behaving 

rider whom Penny employed a chokehold upon in order to 

restrain him. The jury found Penny wasn't criminally reckless,

though prosecutors argued the force was excessive and prolonged,

with the case touching off a  nation-wide debate on mental health, 

vigilantism, and race. The family of Jordan Neely, the 30-year old

homeless man whom Penny had held back had filed a separate 

wrongful death lawsuit, the results of which The Peasant does not

have information on at present. Penny is white, and Neely was 

black.

Having quite some time ago blogged about this incident here on 

this blogsite, here are the facts of the story in order to refresh your

memories, my grand readers:

Neely was a mentally ill homeless man, and was acting erratically

and yelling on a subway train. He made the other passengers nearby

feel unsafe and fearful when Daniel Penny intervened, restraining 

Neely in a chokehold for several minutes during which Neely became

unresponsive. The NYC medical examiner ruled Neely's death a 

homicide due to compression of the neck.

Penny was charged with criminally negligent homicide and man-

slaughter but the latter charge was dismissed during the trial. 

Prosecutors argued Penny used excessive force for too long, while

the defense stated that he acted to protect others from a perceived 

threat. 

In December 2004, a jury acquitted Penny, finding he didn't act with

the criminal negligence required for a conviction. The case sparked 

nationwide debate on subway safety, mental health, race, and self-

defense. 

We have reason to rejoice in Daniel Penny being judged innocent of 

the charges against him. May he have as much good fortune in the 

wrongful death case brought against him. Meanwhile it looks like 

there is some justice for crime victims and heroic citizens in New 

York after all.

MEM

And Right After Thanksgiving, Too!

Friends, I have suddenly found myself caught in a 

quagmire of too many things to tend to and too little 

time to devote to them. Therefore, I have to excuse  

myself this week from getting together with you. 

I shall, of course, be back as soon as I can manage it.

The Peasant hopes that you all had a wonderful 

Thanksgiving, and we shall regroup very soon!

Thanks for your understanding and forgiveness.

MEM