Public court records and announcements from the Manhattan Supreme Court

Jury Deliberates in Daniel Penny Trial Over Jordan Neely's Subway Chokehold Death

Dec 3, 2024, 05:30 PM

Closing arguments have begun in the trial of Daniel Penny, a former Marine veteran charged with manslaughter and negligent homicide in the May 2023 chokehold death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man, on a New York City subway. Penny is accused of recklessly choking Neely to death after Neely had an outburst on the subway train. During his police interrogation, Penny referred to Neely as a "crackhead," which prosecutors argue reflects a lack of empathy. The prosecution contends that Penny showed indifference and acted with disregard by holding Neely in a chokehold for an excessive amount of time. Defense attorney Steven Raiser argued that Penny "acted to save" people by restraining Neely, asking the jury, "Who would you want on the train with you?" Protesters greeted Penny with chants of "Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!" as he arrived at Manhattan Supreme Court for the closing arguments. The anonymous jury began deliberations on December 3, 2024, and is considering charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. If convicted, Penny could face up to 15 years in prison.