Daniel Penny, a Marine veteran who choked and killed Jordan Neely on the subway last week, will face a charge of second-degree manslaughter and is likely to appear in Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday.
A fundraiser has been launched to support the legal defense of Penny.
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Jordan Neely, a homeless man, was a repeat offender with over 40 prior arrests and severe mental illness issues. He died on May 1 after Penny has placed him into a chokehold after Neely had reportedly started behaving erratically and showing aggression towards other passengers. Video from the day showed Penny placing Neely in a recovery position in an attempt to make sure he was okay.
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A campaign was launched on the alternative fundraising website GiveSendGo has raised more than $33,000 as of the time of writing.
“Funds are being raised to pay Mr. Penny’s legal fees incurred from any criminal charges filed and any future civil lawsuits that may arise, as well as expenses related to his defense. All contributions are greatly appreciated,” the fundraiser stated.
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According to the GiveSendGo campaign’s description, any proceeds exceeding those required to cover Penny’s legal defense will be donated to a mental health advocacy program in New York City. All funds will be managed by the law offices of Raiser And Kenniff, PC.
The police interviewed Penny but released him without charging him. Footage of the killing set off protests and the Manhattan district attorney’s office started investigating soon afterward.
Neely’s killing and the lack of immediate legal repercussions for Penny became flash points in the city. The incident was captured in a four-minute video showing Penny performing on chokehold on Neely and holding on for an additional 50 seconds after Neely stopped struggling.
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Penny’s lawyers said that their client never intended to harm Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death.
