Nearly 40 years before former Marine Daniel Penny captured headlines for the death of Jordan Neely, another case brought questions of crime and self-defense to the forefront of the national dialogue.

On Dec. 22, 1984, four black teenagers approached electronics specialist Bernhard Goetz, 37, on the New York City subway. After one of them said, “Give me five dollars,” Goetz pulled out a five-shot revolver and opened fire, injuring all four. Of these, one suffered a severed spinal cord, paralyzing him.