Trial Begins for Marine Veteran Accused of Manslaughter in Subway Chokehold Death
The Incident
As he lay on a subway floor with a stranger’s arm around his neck, Jordan Neely reached and tapped a bystander on the leg, video showed Monday at the manslaughter trial surrounding Neely’s death.
The Video
The bystander bent down to Neely, who gestured urgently with his right hand for about 15 seconds. Then, a third person who was already holding Neely’s left arm grasped his right arm and folded it across his chest. All the while, Marine veteran Daniel Penny continued gripping Neely by the neck from behind for over three minutes as Neely tried to roll free, briefly pried his left arm loose and swung his leg until his movement slowed, then stopped.
The Witnesses
The video, a longer version of a clip that has been seen widely on social media, and another onlooker’s footage gave the anonymous jury its first direct view of the chokehold at the heart of Penny’s manslaughter trial. A third witness told jurors Monday that Penny seemed to be in a “trance” as he restrained Neely that day in 2023.
The Trial
Prosecutors say Penny, 25, recklessly killed Neely, who had frightened passengers on the train with angry statements that some riders found threatening. Penny has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers say he was defending himself and his fellow passengers, stepping up in one of the volatile moments that New York straphangers dread but most shy away from confronting.
The Background
Neely, 30, known to some subway riders for doing Michael Jackson impersonations, had mental health and drug problems. His family has said his life unraveled after his mother was murdered when he was a teenager and he testified at the trial that led to her boyfriend’s conviction.
The Accusations
Prosecutors don’t claim that Penny intended to kill, nor fault him for initially deciding to try to stop Neely’s menacing behavior. But they say Penny went overboard by choking the man for about six minutes, even after passengers could exit the train, after others helped hold Neely down, and after he stopped moving for nearly a minute.
Conclusion
The trial of Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran charged in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely, has begun, with jurors seeing police bodycam video from the moments when officers arrived at the scene. The case has sparked protests and political debate over the line between self-defense and vigilantism and how race, homelessness, mental illness, and drug use factor in.
FAQs
Q: What happened on the day of the incident?
A: Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old man, was on a subway train when he became agitated and made threatening statements to other passengers. Marine veteran Daniel Penny, 25, responded by placing Neely in a chokehold, which ultimately led to Neely’s death.
Q: What is the accused’s defense?
A: Penny’s lawyers claim he was defending himself and his fellow passengers from Neely’s menacing behavior.
Q: What is the prosecution’s case?
A: Prosecutors say Penny recklessly killed Neely, who had frightened passengers on the train with angry statements that some riders found threatening.
Q: What is the significance of the trial?
A: The trial has sparked protests and political debate over the line between self-defense and vigilantism and how race, homelessness, mental illness, and drug use factor in.
