Name: Marine Veteran Pleads Not Guilty in Chokehold Death of Jordan Neely
Uploaded: 2023-06-29T21:03:36.000Z
Description: A U.S. Marine veteran charged with manslaughter for putting Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a subway train in New York City in early May pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Manhattan on Wednesday.

Nikou Bani

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the United States and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Free ‘After School Escape’ in NYC

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Ceasefire Extension Needed Before Iran Deal Can Be Reached: Middle East Affairs Analyst

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

White House Week in Review (May 30): Trump Honors America’s Living and Fallen Service Members

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

Thunder, Spurs in Game 7 Showdown; Winner Plays Knicks

Jacki Thrapp is an Emmy® Award-winning journalist based in Nashville. She previously worked at The New York Post, Fox News Channel and has written a series of Off-Broadway musicals in NYC. Contact her at jacki.thrapp@epochtimes.us

Jacki Thrapp

World News

International

AUKUS Reveals Project to Develop Underwater Drones by 2027

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

Human Rights Advocates in Canada Protest Chinese Regime's Abuses

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

US News

State News

New Jersey

NJ State Police Set up Protest Zone Outside Immigration Detention Center as ICE Agents Leave

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

Colombia Expected to Vote for Right-Leaning President in Upcoming Elections

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

What the People Say: What Do You Think About 'Trump Accounts'?

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Former California Mayor Pleads Guilty to Acting as CCP Agent

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 29)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 28)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 27)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 26)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 25)

Chris Beers is an NTD News anchor and political correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Chris co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Chris Beers

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 24)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 23)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 22)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 21)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 20)

California

More Than 17,000 Under Evacuation Orders as Southern California Wildfire Threatens Homes

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Rudy Blalock is a Southern California-based daily news reporter for NTD. Originally from Michigan, he moved to California in 2017 and the sunshine and ocean have kept him here since. In his free time, he may be found underwater scuba diving, on top of a mountain hiking or snowboarding, or at home meditating—which helps fuel his active lifestyle.

Rudy Blalock

40,000 Ordered to Evacuate as Chemical Tank Leaks, Threatens Explosion in California

Video of US Fighter Jet Shooting Down UFO Over Lake Huron Emerges in New Pentagon Files

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Government Sues Chick-fil-A Over Religious Rights

Health News

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

Sports News

Kyle Busch, Two-Time NASCAR Champion, Dies at 41

Haika Mrema

Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Mountains Kills 4, Sparks Wildfire

California Mayor Resigns, Will Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent

A U.S. Marine veteran charged with manslaughter for putting Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a subway train in New York City in early May pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Manhattan on Wednesday.

Daniel Penny, 24, pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the May 1 death of Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man who was acting erratically and shouting at subway riders. Penny, with the help of two other passengers, pulled Neely to the floor and pinned him with a hold he learned during combat training.

The arraignment on the charges took only mere minutes. Penny, who was released on $100,000 bail in mid-May, was wearing a navy blue suit and only uttered the words "not guilty" before leaving the courtroom with his lawyers.

Neely's relatives say he suffered from worsening mental illness for a long time. He also had a lengthy criminal record including more than 40 prior arrests ranging from disorderly conduct to assault.

In November 2021, he was charged with punching a 67-year-old woman as she was exiting a subway station, leading to a warrant for his arrest that was still active at the time of his death. The woman suffered broken bones in her face after being knocked to the ground.

Penny, who served in the Marines for four years and was discharged in 2021, was caught on video putting Neely in a chokehold on the floor of a northbound F train. Neely lost consciousness during the struggle and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. A city's medical examiner ruled he died owing to "compression of the neck."
<h2>'I Just Couldn’t Sit Still'</h2>
In a series of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVdTPUsTS3Y">video clips</a> released by Penny’s lawyers, the Marine veteran recounted what he called "a scary situation," saying Neely was threatening to kill passengers on the subway. "I couldn't just sit still and let him carry out these threats," he said.

"The man stumbled on, he appeared to be on drugs, the doors closed, and he ripped his jacket off and threw it down at the people sitting next to me at my left," Penny said in the video.

"I was listening to music at the time, and I took my headphones out to hear what he was yelling," he continued. "The three main threats that he repeated over and over was 'I’m going to kill you,' 'I’m prepared to go to jail for life,' and 'I’m willing to die.'"

A passenger applies a chokehold to a man identified as Jordan Neely on the floor of a subway train in New York on May 1, 2023. (Courtesy of Juan Alberto Vazquez via Reuters/Screenshot via NTD)

Penny, who stands at six feet two inches tall, said that he was scared when encountering Neely—who was bigger than him—but felt that he had to do something when he saw him screaming in women's and children's faces.

"There’s a common misconception that Marines don’t get scared. We’re actually taught, one of our core values is courage, and courage is not the absence of fear but how you handle fear," he said. "I was scared for myself, but I looked around, I saw women and children. He was yelling in their faces saying these threats."

Juan Alberto Vazquez, a freelance journalist who recorded the clip, echoed Penny's concern in a <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/05/03/manhattan-da-mulling-charges-against-vigilante-in-subway-death/">New York Post</a> interview last month, saying Neely had been threatening and screaming at other passengers "in an aggressive manner" while also complaining of hunger and thirst.

Neely's family attorney said in a statement that they believe Penny should face a more serious charge, claiming he "intentionally" chose to put Neely in a chokehold designed to cut off air.

"Daniel Penny chose, intentionally chose, a technique to use that is designed to cut off air—that’s what he chose—and he chose to continue to hold that chokehold minute after minute, second after second, until there was no life left in Jordan Neely,” Neely's family attorney Lennon Edwards said in mid-May.
<h2>Lawyers Argue Self-Defense</h2>
Penny's lawyers have said their client was acting in self-defense. His attorney, Thomas Kenniff, previously told the New York Post that he’s "confident" Penny "will be absolved of any wrong doing."

"Daniel [Penny] never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death," the lawyers said.

A <a href="https://www.givesendgo.com/daniel_penny?s=01">crowdfunding campaign</a> launched by Kenniff's law firm to pay for Penny’s legal fees has accumulated nearly $3 million as of the time of reporting.

"Any proceeds collected which exceed those necessary to cover Mr. Penny’s legal defense will be donated to a mental health advocacy program in New York City," the firm said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, both Republican candidates for the 2024 primary, have supported Penny’s legal fund after he was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on May 12 on a charge of second-degree manslaughter.

Republican presidential candidate, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, speaks to guests at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition Spring Kick-Off in Clive, Iowa, on April 22, 2023. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

"We must defeat the Soros-Funded DAs, stop the Left’s pro-criminal agenda, and take back the streets for law abiding citizens. We stand with Good Samaritans like Daniel Penny. Let’s show this Marine… America’s got his back,” DeSantis said in a post on Twitter, which has been viewed nearly 12 million times.

Responding to DeSantis's video, Ramaswamy revealed in a post on Twitter that he donated to Penny’s legal fund, encouraging more people to do so to "restore the rule of law in America."

Rev. Al Sharpton and others angered by Neely's death, meanwhile, have compared the incident to the 1984 subway shooting of four black men by Bernhard Goetz, a white man who shot at the group of men after they allegedly tried to rob him. Goetz was eventually acquitted of charges in the shooting except for carrying an unlicensed gun. All four teenagers survived, though one of them was paralyzed as a result of his injuries.

<em>The Associated Press contributed to this report.</em>

Latest

NEW YORK CITY

SUBWAY

Videos

04_Top Stories

Premium Picks

New York

Latest Clips

Management

Lorenz Duchamps is a news writer for NTD, focusing primarily on the U.S., world, and entertainment news.

Lorenz Duchamps

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

02_Second Lead

Jordan Neely

Daniel Penny

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.