March 21st 2024.
A trial date has been set for Daniel Penny, a former Marine who was involved in the death of Jordan Neely, a Black homeless man who was fatally choked on a New York City subway last year. According to Huffington Post, the trial is scheduled to begin in October.
During a court hearing, Judge Max Wiley announced that the trial will commence on October 8 and could potentially last for four to six weeks, as reported by ABC News. If found guilty, Penny could face up to 25 years in prison.
Penny's lawyers have claimed that Neely had been aggressively threatening Penny and others, which led Penny to act in self-defense. As a result, Penny was charged with manslaughter in the second degree and has pleaded not guilty.
The incident in question occurred on May 1, 2023, when Penny allegedly held Neely in a chokehold on the subway floor until Neely's body went limp. According to witness Juan Alberto Vazquez, Neely, who was well-known for his Michael Jackson impersonation and dancing, had been yelling about his need for food and water just before the altercation. Vazquez captured the incident on video.
"The man got on the subway car and began to say a somewhat aggressive speech, saying he was hungry, he was thirsty, that he didn't care about anything," Vazquez told NBC New York.
Following Neely's death, the New York Office of Chief Medical Examiner ruled it a homicide, citing "compression of neck." This tragic incident sparked outrage and protests in New York, with many viewing it as a reflection of larger societal issues such as race, homelessness, crime, and mental illness.
Attorneys representing Neely's family have expressed dissatisfaction with the manslaughter charges and are advocating for a murder charge against Penny.
"Is that enough for someone who choked somebody out on a train and took their life?" questioned Lennon Edwards, one of Neely's family attorneys, during a news conference. "Justice looks like a conviction for murder."
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