--:-- Georgia Howe: This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. When you visit the doctor, you probably hand over your insurance, your ID, and contact details. It's just one of the many places that has your personal info. And if any of them accidentally expose it, you could be at risk for identity theft. LifeLock monitors millions of data points a second. If you become a victim, they'll fix it, guaranteed, or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year at LifeLock.com slash podcast. Terms apply.
--:-- John Bickley: A New York jury has found Marine veteran Daniel Penny not guilty. It's 18 months of weight on everybody's shoulders. Most importantly, Danny's walking around with the weight of this indictment on him, knowing that he's been falsely accused for doing the right thing.
--:-- Georgia Howe: We break down reactions both inside and outside the courtroom. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley. It's Tuesday, December 10th, and this is Morning Wire. A lawsuit accusing P. Diddy of raping a 13-year-old girl has been amended to include rapper Jay-Z. Now the hip-hop mogul is speaking out. And a suspect has been arrested and charged in the murder of UnitedHealthcare's CEO. The suspect was in a McDonald's and was recognized by an employee who then called local police and was carrying multiple fraudulent IDs as well as a U.S. passport.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know. In today's uncertain economy, more Americans are turning to precious metals to protect their retirement savings. And right now, Birch Gold Group is making it easier than ever to secure your financial future with their special holiday offer. For a limited time, when you open or convert an existing IRA or 401k into a tax-sheltered precious metals IRA with birch gold, you'll receive a free one-ounce American Silver Eagle for every $5,000 purchased. This is their most generous offer of the year, but it will not last long. Don't wait. This offer expires December 18th. Text WIRE to 989898 today.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A Manhattan jury on Monday found 26-year-old Marine veteran Daniel Penny not guilty in the death of Jordan Neely. Here to discuss is Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presta-Giacomo.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Hey, Amanda. So we finally have a verdict in this case. It took five days of deliberations. Tell us about the acquittal and the reaction inside the courtroom.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Right. So the jury deliberated for about an hour on Monday before they rendered a not guilty verdict on the charge of criminally negligent homicide. As we covered yesterday, Judge Maxwell Wiley, rather controversially, agreed with the prosecution's request to dismiss the state's top charge of manslaughter, too. That carried up to 15 years behind bars.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: When the verdict was read yesterday, applause erupted on Penny's side. Penny, who showed very little emotion throughout the trial, reportedly locked eyes with members of the jury and nodded to them with a smile on his face. A lot of relief on that side, especially from Penny's attorneys.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Now, others in the courtroom, though, audibly sobbed and yelled threats over the not guilty verdict. Neely's father, Andre Zachary, glared at someone who applauded the verdict and said, quote, are you trying to effing get killed? And Hawk Newsome, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter Greater New York, He said while looking at Penny, it's a small world, buddy, seemingly threatening him.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Neely's father and several Black Lives Matter leaders were escorted out of the courtroom after their outbursts. Some disturbing behavior there.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Now, throughout the trial, there were protesters outside the courthouse, and yesterday was no exception. They were there at the start of the day and made waves after the verdict was rendered. Tell us about that.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Right. There were about two dozen or so racially focused protesters outside the courthouse on Monday and they chanted things like say his name murderer and subway strangler which were reportedly audible inside the courtroom So you know potentially the jury heard that But things became even more volatile after the verdict was rendered.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Hawk Newsome, who led daily protests outside the courthouse, urged for what he called Black vigilante violence. People want to jump up and choke us and kill us for being loud? How about we do the same when they attempt to oppress us? Newsom said last week that anyone who believes Penny is innocent is a racist. Alarming rhetoric, to say the least.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: And what have we heard from the man who brought these charges against Penny, District Attorney Alvin Bragg? His office put out a statement saying that they deeply respected the jury process and respected this verdict. There's no denying, though, that this was a big defeat for Bragg.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Remember, the Democrat DA filed these charges 10 days after the incident, seemingly in response to racial protests. A lot of people saw the indictment as a political move. I'll also note that there was some chatter about the possibility of Bragg charging Penny with manslaughter again since that charge was dismissed last week. But that does seem highly unlikely.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley said that there's a double jeopardy claim there that could be raised. And he also said that it just wouldn't be practical for Bragg. I don't see how Bragg can do this. I mean, he just had a jury say, we didn't think he was even guilty of blameworthy conduct. And you're going to bring a higher charge against him? I mean, it would be absurd.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: And wrapping up here, Penny is still facing a civil lawsuit from Neely's father. What do we know about that?
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Right. Zachary filed a civil lawsuit at the New York Supreme Court last Wednesday. He has accused Penny of assault, battery, and causing his son's death through negligence, carelessness, and recklessness. The suit doesn't specify a specific amount of money. Now, on the flip side of that, Arizona Representative Eli Crane is planning to introduce a resolution that would give Penny the Congressional Gold Medal for his actions on the subway protecting fellow riders.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Well, he's officially acquitted here. Amanda, thanks for reporting.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: Rapper Jay-Z is now facing allegations of raping a 13-year-old girl that stemmed from a civil lawsuit against Sean P. Diddy Combs. Both hip-hop moguls are calling the suit a blackmail attempt. Here with more on these allegations is Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham.
--:-- Megan Basham: So Megan, the P. Diddy accuser claimed that he, along with another male celebrity, both raped her when she was 13 at an MTV Music Awards party. That was this past October that came out. She also claims there was a female celebrity watching.
--:-- Megan Basham: What is she now saying?
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, on Sunday, Jane Doe amended that October suit to now name Jay-Z as that other alleged assailant. So just to give you a little bit of background for those who have not been following, the Suits says that Doe tried to get into the MTV Music Awards without a ticket. And while attempting to do that, she met Combs' limo driver, who then took her to an after party.
--:-- Megan Basham: She says she was asked to sign an NDA, but wasn't given a copy of that document. Well once she was inside she says she accepted a drink from a waitress circulating in the crowd and then began to feel quoting here woozy and lightheaded after just a few sips And she says at that point she found a room to lie down in And that's when Combs, Carter, and the female celebrity who isn't named in the suit found her.
--:-- Megan Basham: She says that Jay-Z first held her down and raped her, followed by Combs while this unnamed woman looked on.
--:-- Megan Basham: Now, what has Jay-Z's response been?
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, he issued a blistering statement on Sunday saying that this is a shakedown effort on the part of the accuser and her lawyer, Tony Busby, who is representing several of the roughly 30 plaintiffs now suing Combs. In the statement, Jay-Z calls Busby a deplorable ambulance chaser in a cheap suit. And he called a demand letter that Busby and his client initially sent a blackmail attempt.
--:-- Megan Basham: Instead, Jay-Z says this prompted him to expose them as frauds. Reading just a bit here from his statement, These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one. Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away. Would you not agree? These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case.
--:-- Megan Basham: Now, Busby issued a response on Monday saying that his and his client's initial demand letter only asked for confidential mediation, not money. And he also said that they will litigate the facts in court, not in the media.
--:-- Megan Basham: But another wrinkle revealed in Busby's statement is that sometime between the initial October lawsuit and its amendment that names Jay-Z, Jay-Z filed what Busby called a frivolous case against him and Jane Doe under a pseudonym. And Busby says that Jay-Z did this to try to bully and harass them.
--:-- Megan Basham: So why would Jay-Z feel the need to file a suit against Busby prior to being named?
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, according to Busby, he had reached out to Jay-Z on behalf of Jane Doe about arranging a meeting for remediation. Although, again, he states his client has never asked for money.
--:-- Megan Basham: And just a side note, people on social media were pretty quick to point out that Jay-Z's statement did not actually include a direct denial of the crime. It was what you might call more of a scathing rebuke of the lawyer, Busby.
--:-- Megan Basham: Some interesting insight, though, from NBC's legal analyst, Danny Savalos. He pointed out that Jay-Z's attempts to preemptively quash this may have actually had the opposite effect.
--:-- Megan Basham: And that goes along with something else that Busby said in his statement Monday, and that was that his client was actually emboldened by Jay-Z's suit.
--:-- Megan Basham: Now, still no leads about who that female celebrity is?
--:-- Megan Basham: No, but the pressure is definitely building and certainly a lot of speculation online circulating, but nothing concrete.
--:-- Megan Basham: Has Combs commented?
--:-- Megan Basham: He has, and he continues to deny all the allegations. But it's worth noting that Combs is not just being sued in civil court. He is also facing federal criminal charges that include sex trafficking and racketeering. And he's been in a Brooklyn detention center since mid-September, awaiting trial on May 5th. Last month, he was denied bail for the third time.
--:-- Megan Basham: Hopefully the truth will come out.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A man has been arrested and charged in the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Here with the latest is Daily Wire Senior Editor Cabot Phillips.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So Cabot, a nationwide manhunt seemingly coming to a close. What can you tell us?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, on Monday, a McDonald's employee in Altoona, Pennsylvania, saw a man eating in the restaurant who resembled photos of the suspected shooter that had been released by authorities. That employee called in the tip and when police arrived, they found Luigi Mangione.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: The 26-year-old was reportedly acting suspiciously and when police searched his belongings they found what authorities referred to as a so ghost gun which they now say was 3D printed Those guns were typically more difficult to trace or tie to past crimes Police also found a firearm suppressor similar to the one seen in security footage of the crime along with a US passport and multiple fake IDs, one of which reportedly matched an ID he used to check into a hostel in New York City the night before the assassination.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Given all of that information, police appear confident this is their guy. By Monday night, he'd been transferred to the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution in Huntington, where he's being held without bail.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: He made his first court appearance last night and was officially charged with five counts, including two felonies for forgery and carrying a firearm without a license. And according to police, Mangione is no longer cooperating. He was initially cooperative. He is not now.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: And so he has been arraigned and transported and will be securely housed pending the filing of additional charges in New York. And late last night, Manhattan prosecutors filed a number of their own charges against Mangione, including murder.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: What do we know about Mangione's background?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, up until this point, he had no criminal history. According to Daily Wire reporter Luke Rosiak, Mangione came from a wealthy family in Maryland, attending an elite private school outside Baltimore where he graduated as valedictorian.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Mangione went on to the University of Pennsylvania, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science. In recent years, he lived in Hawaii and spent time in Japan and Puerto Rico. Though it does appear he sort of fell off the map in recent months.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: A number of social media posts throughout the fall show friends expressing concern for him publicly, with one on X saying, quote, Hey man, I haven't heard from you in months. You made commitments to me for my wedding. If you can't honor them, I need to know so I can plan accordingly.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Now, police say they will be looking to piece together a timeline of his activity over the last few months leading up to the assassination. Do we know why he did this?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So the NYPD says Mangione was in possession of a three-page handwritten manifesto they reportedly expressed, quote, ill will toward corporate America.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: While we haven't yet seen the full manifesto, CNN reports that it included the lines, quote, these parasites had it coming, and quote, I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: That matches much of what the shooter posted over the years online. For example, an account appearing to belong to Mangione left a glowing book review for the Unabombers manifesto.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: He shared a quote in that review that read, quote, these companies don't care about you or your kids. They have zero qualms about burning down the planet for a buck. So why should we have any qualms about burning them down to survive?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So now what's going to happen with Mangione?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, the NYPD says they'll work with police in Pennsylvania to eventually extradite him to New York, where he'll face those additional charges, including murder.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Police in Pennsylvania said they'll also send evidence they collect during their investigation up to New York. While a large chunk of the country was obviously horrified by the murder, It's undeniable that for many others, he's taken on a sort of cult hero status.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Mangione's Instagram account, for example, was flooded with thousands and thousands of supportive messages praising him, calling him a brave martyr for taking on the healthcare industry.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: And on multiple social media platforms, including X and TikTok, all day long yesterday, the hashtag Free Luigi was trending.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Here's Pennsylvania Governor John Shapiro responding to the support for Mangione. In a civil society, we are all less safe when ideologues engage in vigilante justice. In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this. He is no hero. The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald's this morning.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So we'll keep a close eye on how this looming trial plays out and how the American people respond. Well, hopefully he doesn't inspire copycats.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Right. Cabot, thanks for reporting.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Anytime.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back this afternoon with more news you need to know.
