Former Marine filmed suffocating Jordan Neley who died last week has been formally charged with manslaughter after he turned himself in to authorities on Friday morning, The Shadow Room can confirm.
Daniel Penny24, arrived in downtown Manhattan’s 5th precinct just after 8 a.m. – 11 days after he strangled Neely on an F-train on May 1st. The entire incident was caught on video.
Last week, the coroner ruled that Neely’s death was a homicide by neck compression, as reported by The Shadow Room.
Ex-Marine turns police after strangling homeless black man to death last week
Penny was charged with second-degree manslaughter after being initially questioned by police and released on the day of Neely’s death. His arrest comes less than a day after the Manhattan Attorney’s Office announced it bring charges against himaccording to the New York Post.
Meanwhile, Penny’s lawyer Thomas Kenniff claimed his client surrendered “voluntarily” and with “dignity” and repeatedly invoked his military service.
“This morning Daniel Penny surrendered at the request of the New York City District Attorney’s Office in the 5th Circuit. He did so voluntarily and with the kind of dignity and integrity that has characterized his history of service to this grateful nation,” Kenniff told reporters outside the precinct Friday morning.
Daniel Penny has been charged with manslaughter https://t.co/XWOKTmck1upic.twitter.com/IQfG4tqrf1
— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 12, 2023
Penny now faces more than 15 years in prison, the arrest comes amid widespread pressure on prosecutors
Kenniff, who expects Penny to be charged sometime Friday afternoon, declined to answer press questions post reports.
Penny now faces more than 15 years in prison if convicted and/or found guilty. His arrest comes amid ongoing tensions in the city following the death of Neely.
RELATED: Jordan Neely’s family reacts after choking suspect releases statement about his death
Manhattan prosecutors were under a lot of pressure to indict Penny, and protests ensued calling for the former Marine’s arrest. Neely, a former street performer/Michael Jackson impersonator, has struggled with mental health issues for most of his life.
On Thursday, Penny’s lawyers said they were confident their client would ultimately be cleared of any wrongdoing.
Penny’s attorneys allege their client defended himself and his fellow passengers and never intended to hurt Neely
They have claimed that Penny only intervened to protect herself and other passengers and never intended to hurt Neely. However, Neely’s family wants Penny to be charged with murder, not manslaughter.
The Neely family and their attorneys held a brief statement press conference Friday at 11 a.m., courtesy of CBS News. There, the family claims he did not attack Penny or anyone else on the train.
“Ask how you can help, don’t attack, don’t choke just because someone is unwell. “Nobody said, ‘There you are sir.’ (Penny) acted indifferently, it’s not who we are or who we want to be,” said one of the Neely family’s attorneys.
Neely had been before Arrested 44 times for assault, attempted child abduction, drugs and indecent exposure, ABC 7 reports. Officials said he has also had at least 43 “assisted cases” in which psychiatric staff have admitted him for treatment.
Jordan Neely was 30. He deserved to grow old. pic.twitter.com/qtSVy7Bmec
— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) May 4, 2023
