Daniel Penny Indicted For Killing Jordan Neely On NYC Subway, Report Says

Topline

A grand jury in New York City has indicted Daniel Penny, a former U.S. Marine who held Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a New York City subway train in May, ABC News and Fox News reported Wednesday—though the charges Penny was indicted on have not yet been unsealed.

Key Facts

Tangent

Penny was able to raise more than $2.8 million in a GiveSendGo page for his defense after he was charged with second-degree manslaughter—a charge that has drawn polarized reactions, with far-right lawmakers including Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) supporting Penny, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) sharing the fundraiser on his Twitter page. The fundraiser claims Penny had been “protecting individuals” on the subway from Neely, a self-defense claim Penny’s attorneys have also made, arguing Neely was “aggressively threatening” passengers on the train.

Key Background

Neely’s death on May 1 on a northbound F train prompted protests across New York City, following the release of video footage showing Penny grabbing Neely and bringing him to the floor in a rear chokehold. Many of the protests centered on the racial undertones of the case—Neely is Black and Penny is white. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg later opened an investigation into Neely’s death. Neely, a Michael Jackson impersonator who frequented the subway, had also been known to struggle with mental health issues, and had been arrested 42 times on an array of charges, including trespassing and unprovoked assault

Further Reading

Jordan Neely Killing: Daniel Penny Charged With Manslaughter, Released On Bond (Forbes)