Daniel Penny Found Not Guilty, Golden Globe Nominations, Jay-Z Facing Child Rape Allegations, Drummer Simon Dawson Joins Iron Maiden, Juan Soto Signs with New York Mets

Dame Judi Dench celebrates her 90th birthday

From The LifeMinute.tv Team

December 9, 2024

Daniel Penny acquitted of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely
More than a month after the trial began, a verdict has officially been reached in the case of Daniel Penny. The 26-year-old former Marine was charged with criminally negligent homicide and second-degree manslaughter in the death of 30-year-old Jordan Neely. The incident occurred in May of 2023 when Neely, who had been experiencing homelessness and had a past with mental illness, reportedly boarded a NYC subway while under the influence of synthetic marijuana and began acting erratically. Penny then placed Neely in a chokehold in an attempt to restrain him, where the two remained for approximately 6 minutes. Neely was pronounced dead at the scene, with an autopsy later determining the cause of death as compression to his neck. Throughout the trial, the defense argued that Penny had stepped in to protect his fellow passengers, with the intention to restrain Neely from harming anyone on board the train. While the jury remained deadlocked on the charge of second-degree manslaughter, resulting in its dismissal on Friday, they declared Perry not guilty in the charge of criminally negligent homicide.

2025 Golden Globe Nominations are revealed, Emilia Pérez, The Brutalist, and Conclave take the lead
Nominations were announced live on CBS News’ YouTube channel this morning by actors Mindy Kaling and Morris Chestnut. Musical/thriller film Emilia Pérez earned the most nods of any film or movie with 10 total, being recognized in top categories such as Best Original Score, Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy). The Brutalist and Conclave follow shortly behind with 7 and 6 nominations respectively. The Bear once again dominated on the television side, earning five total noms for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Performance by a Female Actor, Best Performance by a Male Actor, and Best Television Series. Other shows with a notable number of nominations include Only Murders in the Building and Shōgun. The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, January 5 at 8PM ET live on CBS.

Jay-Z facing accusations of child rape alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs in new civil lawsuit
The lawsuit, which was released publicly on Sunday, accuses Jay-Z of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs. The anonymous accuser claims the assault happened at an MTV Video Music Awards after party in 2000 after she had been drugged. The accusation is the first to involve any other celebrity in the sexual assault allegations against Combs, who has been locked up since September. Jay-Z has since denied the claims, publicly accusing lawyer Tony Buzbee of blackmail and calling the allegations “heinous in nature.”

Iron Maiden names Simon Dawson new touring drummer following the departure of Nicko McBrain
Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain revealed to fans on Saturday that he would be retiring from touring with the band after 42 years on the road. He made the announcement on Iron Maiden’s official website this weekend, writing “I look into the future with much excitement and great hope! I’ll be seeing you soon, may God bless you all, and, of course, “Up the Irons!”” The band has since announced that drummer Simon Dawson will take the stage alongside current members Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, and Janick Gers in 2025. For more than a decade, Dawson has worked alongside Harris as the drummer for British Lion, a band which Harris founded in 2012. He is set to perform with Iron Maiden on the “Run For Your Lives” 50th anniversary tour, which is set to begin in Budapest on May 27.

MLB star Juan Soto signs largest contract in professional sports history with the New York Mets, $765 million over 15 years
Former New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto is staying in the Big Apple. The 26-year-old MLB star has landed a historic contract with the New York Mets after electing free agency this off season. The deal offers Soto $765 million over a 15 year period, an opt-out after five years with no money deferred, and a $75 million signing bonus. The contract dethrones Shohei Ohtani’s deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the largest in pro sports history, which offered $700 million over the course of 10 years starting in 2024. The news comes after months of fan speculation over where the All-Star would land after his World Series run with the Yankees.

National Pastry Day is celebrated
Whip up a batch of your favorite baked goods because today is National Pastry Day. Recognized annually on December 9, this holiday celebrates everyone’s favorite pastries such as croissants, cinnamon rolls, eclairs, danishes, cream puffs, strudel, and more. Not into baking? Visit a local bakery near you and pick up a batch to bring home to family, bring to your office, or share with friends.

Christmas Card Day is also recognized
The tradition of sending Christmas cards has become the perfect way to send love to friends and family all over the world who you may not see during the holiday season, and Christmas Card Day is the best time to get out your stamps and envelopes and send out a special message. Whether you choose to use family photos from throughout the year, a special photo taken for the card, or simply write out a message of kind regards, Christmas cards are a great way of spreading holiday cheer during this most joyous time of the year.

In today’s birthday news:
Actress Dame Judi Dench 90, actor Beau Bridges 83, actor John Malkovich 71, singer/TV personality Donny Osmond 67, actor Mario Cantone 65, actress Felicity Huffman 62, Shark Tank entrepreneur Lori Greiner 55, Green Day drummer Tré Cool 52, actor Simon Helberg 44.