4 things to know about the Daniel Penny case as jury deliberates
Medical Examiner ruled Neely died from asphyxia
Dr. Cynthia Harris, the medical examiner who performed Neely's autopsy, was one of several witnesses to testify last month during the trial. The doctor had ruled Neely died of compression to the neck or asphyxia.
As CBS News reported on Nov. 15, Harris testified that Neely had a sickle cell trait that is typically benign. In the medical examiner's opinion, Neely being in a "low oxygen situation" resulted in his death.
While a toxicology report showed that Neely had a synthetic cannabinoid known as K2 in his system, Harris told the jury that "no one can say how much" because current testing cannot measure it.
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Witnesses and responding officers remembered Neely having a pulse despite having been in a chokehold, as CBS News reported. Harris claimed that this isn't abnormal, stating, "This is an asphyxial death. ... The brain dies first."
According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the side effects of K2 are often unpredictable because the chemicals used can vary from packet to packet. The adverse health effects associated with K2 include paranoia, rapid heart rate, kidney failure, vomiting and reduced blood supply to the heart.
During the defense's cross-examination, Harris stood by her original assessment, insisting that even if Neely had enough fentanyl in his system to take down a small elephant, she would not change her opinion.
Harris did agree, as CBS News notes, that medical examiners often disagree on the cause of death, conceding that the science is not always perfect.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
