Daniel Penny pleads not guilty to charges from subway chokehold death

Former U.S. Marine Daniel Penny on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree manslaughter and negligent homicide charges. The charges stem from the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless black man Penny placed in a chokehold on a subway last month. A bystander video appeared to show Penny, along with two other passengers, pinning Neely to the ground after Neely began shouting threats at passengers on a New York subway. Penny’s attorney, Steven Raiser, said the evidence points to self-defense and added that “the right and duty to defend one another” will also be on trial.

Why did people protest? People protested Neely’s death for multiple reasons, including bringing attention to public mental health care or homeless issues. Many protesters believe the altercation was racially motivated. Penny has repeatedly denied accusations of racism.

Dig deeper: Read Katie Gaultney’s report in WORLD Magazine on Christian leaders’ responses to the death of George Floyd.