Daniel Penny, the vigilante who choked Jordan Neely to dying on a New York Metropolis subway prepare final month, was indicted Wednesday by a Manhattan grand jury, ABC 7 reported.
The 24-year-old surrendered to police in Could on a cost of second-degree manslaughter after horrifying footage revealed Penny putting Neely, a 30-year-old Black homeless man, in a chokehold for a number of minutes till he handed out. It stays unclear what costs the previous U.S. Marine will likely be indicted on—they are going to be unsealed at his arraignment at a later date.
The Manhattan District Legal professional’s Workplace didn’t instantly present remark to The Every day Beast.
Penny is presently free on a $100,000 bail and faces a sentence of as much as 15 years behind bars if convicted of his preliminary cost. His attorneys have beforehand claimed he “by no means meant to hurt Mr. Neely and couldn’t have foreseen his premature dying,” allegedly performing in self-defense.
In a current interview with Fox Information, Penny wildly speculated that Neely “would have killed anyone” if he “had carried out his threats.” He advised the outlet he “was scared” the day of Neely’s dying and “noticed older ladies and kids” who have been “terrified.”
Different eyewitness accounts describe Neely crying out for meals and water and “screaming in an aggressive method,” however there may be little proof the Michael Jackson impersonator posed a bodily risk to fellow subway riders that day.
The vigilante’s authorized crew factors to Neely’s “documented historical past of violent and erratic habits” from “ongoing and untreated psychological sickness.” Sources near Neely’s case have confirmed to CNN that his identify appeared on the NYC Division of Homeless Providers’ “High 50” record, which is reserved for these in dire want of assist, earlier than his dying.
Nevertheless, Neely’s household has stated in a previous assertion that “fact is, [Penny] knew nothing about Jordan’s historical past when he deliberately wrapped his arms round Jordan’s neck, and squeezed and saved squeezing.” Town health worker has dominated his dying a murder because of compression of the neck.
Andrew Savulich/New York Every day Information/Tribune Information Service through Getty Photos
With mounting backlash accusing him of racism, Penny has sworn that he’s not “white supremacist” and is a “regular man.” He expressed to the New York Publish that he was “deeply saddened” by Neely’s dying—which apparently “had nothing to do with race”—and blamed “the system that so desperately failed us.”
“All people who’s ever met me can let you know, I really like all folks, I really like all cultures,” Penny advised the Publish. “I used to be truly planning a street journey by way of Africa earlier than this occurred.”
“I at all times do what I feel is true,” he added.
A GiveSendGo marketing campaign began by Penny’s protection crew has raked in a whopping $2.8 million within the span of roughly a month to go towards his authorized charges. The fundraiser, hosted on a Christian web site favored by conservatives, claims extra proceeds will likely be donated to a New York Metropolis psychological well being advocacy program.
Massive identify Republicans have thrown their help behind Penny, together with 2024 GOP presidential candidate Gov. Ron DeSantis, who tweeted “We stand with Good Samaritans like Daniel Penny. Let’s present this Marine … America’s bought his again.”
Penny’s subsequent court docket date has but to be set.