Photo: Paul Martinka via AP
The man who putJordan Neelyinto a deadly chokehold while on a New York City subway earlier this week “never intended to harm” him, according to his lawyers.
On Monday, the individual — who has been identified as Daniel Penny, a U.S. Marine veteran — restrained Neely, 30, and held him in a headlock before he died.
In a statement from Raiser and Kenniff, P.C., the law firm expressed its condolences to Neely’s family for their loss, while defending their client’s actions.
“When Mr. Neely began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and the other passengers, Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves, until help arrived,” the statement said, perABC 7.“Daniel never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death.”
A representative for Raiser and Kenniff, P.C. did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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Jordan Neely.Andrew Savulich/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty
Neely was riding a northbound F train in Manhattan when he began harassing passengers, authorities told multiple news outlets, includingABC 7.
“He starts to make a speech,” Juan Alberto Vazquez, who filmed the ordeal, told theNew York Post. “He started screaming in an aggressive manner. He said he had no food, he had no drink, that he was tired and doesn’t care if he goes to jail. He started screaming all these things, took off his jacket, a black jacket that he had, and threw it on the ground.”
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Neely, a Michael Jackson impersonator who had a history of mental illness, was transported to Lenox Hill Hospital where he was pronounced dead, per ABC 7.
“This is a solemn and serious matter that ended in the tragic loss of Jordan Neely’s life,” Doug Cohen, press secretary for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, said in a statement to PEOPLE. “As part of our rigorous ongoing investigation, we will review the Medical Examiner’s report, assess all available video and photo footage, identify and interview as many witnesses as possible, and obtain additional medical records.”
Jake Offenhartz/AP Photo
Mayor Eric Adams toldThe Timesthat the incident was “tragic,” and added that “there’s a lot we don’t know about what happened here.”
“However, we do know that there were serious mental health issues in play here, which is why our administration has made record investments in providing care to those who need it and getting people off the streets and the subways, and out of dangerous situations,” he continued.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine agreed. “He always made people smile. Our broken mental health system failed him. He deserved help, not to die in a chokehold on the floor of the subway,” he said.
Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, meanwhile,tweeted Wednesday nightthat “Jordan Neely was murdered,” adding, “But [because] Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges. It’s disgusting.”
source: people.com
