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Daniel Penny's Manslaughter Trial Begins in NYC Subway Chokehold Death of Jordan Neely

Nov 1, 2024, 06:09 PM

The trial of Daniel Penny, a former U.S. Marine charged with manslaughter and negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless Black man, began with opening statements on Friday. Penny is accused of killing Neely, who was acting erratically and reportedly said "I will kill" on a New York City subway train in May 2023. Prosecutors argued that Penny "went way too far" and showed "indifference" when he placed Neely in a fatal chokehold. The defense contended that Penny acted with "courage" to protect himself and others, doing "what we would want someone to do for us." Bodycam footage shown in court revealed that Neely still had a pulse when police arrived, and officers did not perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation due to hygiene concerns. The case has drawn protests outside the courthouse and has highlighted issues of subway crime, mental illness, race relations, and vigilantism.