Crime and Response

For John, BLUF:  Reaching back in history 60 years we see a New York City indifferent to violent crime.  Now we have New York City prosecutivng someone for not showing indifference.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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37 Who Saw Murder Didn't Call the Police; Apathy at Stabbing of Queens Woman Shocks Inspector

From The Old Gray Lady, 27 March 1964.

Here is the lede plus one:

For more than half an hour 38 respectable, law‐abiding citizens in Queens watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks in Kew Gardens.

Twice the sound of their voices and the sudden glow of their bedroom Iights interrupted him and frightened him off. Each time he returned, sought her out and stabbed her again. Not one person telephoned ‐ the police during the assault; one witness called after the woman was dead.

And today someone is on trial for not showing apathy.  Former Active Duty Marine Daniel Penny is on trial for the outcome of his coming between subway passangers and a deranged man.  The outcome ended up being the death of the man threatening passangers, Mr Jordan Neely.

Jurors Set to Weigh Penny’s Fate in Choking Case That Divided New York Prosecutors in Daniel Penny’s manslaughter trial finished closing arguments Tuesday.

The trial has touched on fears about crime and the city’s failure to help its most troubled residents.

It turns out that Mr Neely was not only having emotional problems, but he was physically in poor shape.  As a result, he died from being restrained by Mr Penny.

Unlike the neighbors of Ms Kitty Genovese, who ignored her murder while it was in progress,♠ Mr Penny acted like a stand-up guy.  The outcome of the jury decision may determine if we have more stand-up guys, or gals, or not.

In the mean time, the real culprit is the City and State of New York for not having the needed mental health facilities and the laws that would allow people like Mr Neely to be hospitalized and treated.  This was an unnecessaqrry death.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Subsequent reporting suggests the origiinal headline is an exageration of the indifference of the neighbors, but the fact is that there was no Daniel Penny to stand betwee Ms Kitty Genovese and her attacker.