Jordan Neely news latest: Daniel Penny surrenders on manslaughter charge in fatal subway chokehold

Homeless advocacy groups held a vigil outside City Hall on Thursday evening for Jordan Neely and hundreds of other unhoused New Yorkers who died on the city’s streets and subways within the last year.

More than 70,000 people are sleeping in the city’s shelter system. That figure does not include the thousands of New Yorkers on the city’s streets and subways.

Of the 640 deaths among homeless New Yorkers in 2021, 151 were unsheltered.

In the deadliest year on record for New York’s homeless population, 815 people died while homeless in 2022.

At a separate event, shortly before Manhattan prosecutors announced forthcoming charges against Daniel Penny, city officials pressed authorities to make an arrest. City Council members of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus were joined by homeless advocates and civil rights groups.

“You’re not going to put your hands or your arms around our neck anymore. We’re not standing for this,” caucus chair Kevin C Riley said.

The former US Marine who held Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a Manhattan subway train earlier this month has surrendered to New York authorities to face criminal charges over his death.

Daniel Penny, 24, turned himself in to New York police early on Friday morning to be arrested on a second-degree manslaughter charge.

He was seen arriving at the NYPD’s 5th Precinct in lower Manhattan just after 8am local time, where he did not respond to any questions from waiting journalists.

Attorneys for Daniel Penny said in a statement that they are “confident” he will be “fully absolved of any wrongdoing” when all the “facts and circumstances” come to light as they claimed that the former Marine “risked his own life” when he confronted Neely that day.

“When Mr Penny, a decorated Marine veteran, stepped in to protect himself and his fellow New Yorkers, his well-being was not assured. He risked his own life and safety, for the good of his fellow passengers,” said the statement from Raiser and Kenniff, shared with The Independent.

“The unfortunate result was the unintended and unforeseen death of Mr Neely. We are confident that once all the facts and circumstances surrounding this tragic incident are brought to bear, Mr Penny will be fully absolved of any wrongdoing.”

Speaking outside the NYPD precinct, Daniel Penny’s attorney Thomas Kenniff said that the former Marine has “his head held up high” after being charged with manslaughter over Jordan Neely’s death.

When asked how his client was feeling, Mr Kenniff responded: “He’s dealing with the situation as I said with the sort of integrity and honour that is characteristic of who he is and characteristic of his honourable sevrice in the US Marine Corps.

“And he has his head held up high.”

Speaking outside the NYPD precinct, Daniel Penny’s attorney Thomas Kenniff said that his client surrendered to authorities “voluntarily” and with “dignity and integrity”.

“Shortly after 8am this morning Daniel Penny surrendered at the 5th Precinct at the request of the New York County DA’s office,” he said.

“He did so voluntarily and with the sort of dignity and integry that is characteristic of his history of service for this grateful nation.

“The case will now go to court. We expect an arraignment will occur this afternoon. The process will unfold from there.”

Daniel Penny, 24, turned himself in to New York police early on Friday morning to be arrested on a second-degree manslaughter charge.

He was seen arriving at the NYPD’s 5th Precinct in lower Manhattan just after 8am local time, where he did not respond to any questions from waiting journalists.

Following his arrest, he will be arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court later today. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

The former Marine who held Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a Manhattan subway earlier this month has surrendered to New York authorities to face criminal charges over his death.

Daniel Penny, 24, turned himself into police on Friday morning to be arrested on a second-degree manslaughter charge.

He will then be arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court.

Alex Woodward has this profile of the 24-year-old former Marine at the centre of the case.

In his first official remarks on the death of Jordan Neely more than one week after he was fatally choked on a New York City subway train car, Mayor Eric Adams did not mention how the homeless New Yorker died or discuss the events surrounding his death.

He stressed, however, that “Jordan Neely did not deserve to die.”

“One of our own is dead – a Black man, Black like me. A man named Jordan, the name I gave my son,” the mayor said in remarks on 10 May. “A New Yorker who struggled with tragedy, trauma and mental illness, a man whose last words were crying for help.”

On 1 May, a man identified as 24-year-old Daniel Penny wrapped his arm around the neck of the homeless former street performer for several minutes. The city’s medical examiner determined the cause of death was homicide. No charges have been filed, and the Manhattan district attorney’s office and police are investigating.