Marine Veteran Pleads Not Guilty in Fatal Chokehold of Man on NYC Subway Train

A 24-year-old U.S. Marine veteran pleaded not guilty Wednesday in the fatal chokehold of a man on a New York City subway train. Daniel Penny is facing arraignment in the death of Jordan Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator who was shouting and begging for money when Penny pinned him to the floor of the moving subway car with the help of two other passengers and held him in a chokehold for more than three minutes.

Penny was arrested last month for second-degree manslaughter and has since been out on bond. A grand jury voted to indict Penny on updated charges earlier this month.

The incident occurred on May 1 in SoHo, and was captured on video. According to witnesses, Neely was acting erratically and threatening to kill other passengers on the F train.

Penny’s attorney, Robert Feldman, said his client was trying to protect other passengers and that Neely had been “acting in a very aggressive manner.” He also said that Penny had no intention of killing Neely and that he was “acting in self-defense.”

The case has sparked a debate about the use of force in public spaces. Some have argued that Penny was justified in his actions, while others have argued that he should have used less force.

The case is ongoing, and a trial date has not yet been set.