Trial begins for Marine who strangled homeless man in NYC subway

The trial begins in the death of Jordan Neely. In May 2023, the Marine killed the homeless man in a chokehold on a New York City subway train, according to with the BBC.

Marine Daniel Penny, 25, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges.

Some praised Penny as a hero. Critics, including civil rights activists, said he acted like a real murderer.

Penny has been free on bail since his arraignment and appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court with his lawyers on October 21.

A crowd of about 40 people protesting Neely's death gathered outside the New York courthouse on Oct. 21 before jury selection began.

Self-defense or murder

Witnesses reported that Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old black man, was yelling at other subway passengers and asking for money. Penny, who was riding in the same car, pinned him to the ground for several minutes. Neely died after being put in a chokehold.

The Marine claimed he acted in self-defense and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter.

Prosecutors say Penny placed Neely in a chokehold "that lasted approximately six minutes and continued after Neely stopped moving."

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Witnesses said Neely screamed that he was hungry and ready to go back to jail or die. There was no sign that he had attacked anyone.

Penny wrote on social media that he did not intend to kill Neely.

"I was afraid for myself. There were women and children there, he was screaming in their faces, threatening them. I just couldn't sit still," he said.

The city's medical examiner ruled the victim's death as nothing less than homicide caused by neck compression.

Neely was a Michael Jackson impersonator and often performed in Times Square. He was quite famous throughout the city.

He had dozens of arrests, including fare evasion, theft, and assault on three women.

Family members say Neely had mental health issues that began more than 15 years ago, when his mother's boyfriend strangled a woman.

In 2014, Eric Garner, an unarmed New York man, died during arrest. Police held him by the neck. The state subsequently banned police from using chokeholds during arrests.

As NewyorkForumdaily previously wrote:

• New York subway passenger tried calmed the troublemaker down and killed him.
• Passenger turned former Marine. To him charged with murder, but he did not recognize its guilt.
• In New York, due to the death of a homeless man protests broke out.