Veteran charged with manslaughter for chokehold death on NYC subway

Marine veteran Daniel Penny turned himself in Friday morning to face a charge of second-degree manslaughter, and officials released him on bond later in the day. The charges stem from the May 1 death of Jordan Neely, whom Penny placed in a chokehold on a New York City subway train. Penny, 24, has not filed a plea, but his lawyers said he was acting in self-defense against Neely, who had threatened other passengers.

Who was Neely? Neely family attorney Donte Mills said the 30-year-old had a history of mental illness stemming from his mother’s murder in 2007. Neely was homeless, and his arrest records show a history of violent attacks on subway riders. In 2021, he punched a 67-year-old woman, breaking her nose and fracturing her orbital bone. Neely’s death sparked protests in the city, and Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday that Neely “did not deserve to die.”

Dig deeper: Listen to Addie Offereins’ report on The World and Everything in It podcast about how Adams is trying to provide mental healthcare to his city’s homeless population.