The Marine veteran involved in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway car will soon face criminal charges.
According to Manhattan prosecutors, ex-Marine Daniel Penny will likely receive charges in Neely’s death. USA Today reported that Penny will be “arrested and face a charge of second-degree manslaughter, which could carry a jail term of up to 15 years.”
“We cannot provide any additional information until he has been arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court, which we expect to take place tomorrow,” the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
WNBC also reported that Penny would soon receive charges, citing three sources familiar with the incident. Penny is reportedly expected to surrender to authorities soon.
Neely was allegedly disturbing and threatening subway passengers before Penny subdued him by placing him in a chokehold. Neely later lost consciousness and died. The New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner declared that Neely’s death was a homicide.
Neely had mental health issues and was homeless. He was reportedly arrested 42 times between 2013-2021. At the time of his death, Neely had an active felony warrant for attacking a 67-year-old woman in 2021.
Penny’s attorneys said, “Daniel never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death.” They noted that two other subway riders tried to stop Neely while the passengers protected themselves.
A GiveSendGo fundraising page was recently launched to help pay for Penny’s “legal fees incurred from any criminal charges filed and any future civil lawsuits that may arise, as well as expenses related to his defense.”
Referencing the attack, Democrats said Neely was “lynched” and “murdered.”
“Black men deserve to grow old — not be lynched on a Subway because they were having a mental health crisis. Jordan deserved better. Accountability now,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) said.
On Twitter, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) claimed that “Jordan Neely was murdered.”
Jordan Neely was murdered.
But bc Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges.
It’s disgusting. https://t.co/YJeQp9bbgE
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 3, 2023
“One of our own is dead, a black man, black like me. A man named Jordan, the name I gave my son. A New Yorker who struggled with tragedy, trauma, and mental illness. A man whose last words were a cry for help. A man named Jordan Neely,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.
