Marine Vet Daniel Penny Arrested for Manslaughter in Jordan Neely Death

Daniel Penny has just been criminally charged in the death of NYC subway rider Jordan Neely, who died after Penny put him in a chokehold on a train.

The Marine vet surrendered to police at a Manhattan station house Friday morning and was booked on a charge of second-degree manslaughter. After posing for a mug shot and getting fingerprinted, Penny will go before a judge to be arraigned on the felony charge in criminal court.

His attorneys from the law firm Raiser & Kenniff issued a statement Thursday night, saying they were “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.”

Penny was a passenger in a subway snaking through the Manhattan underground on May 1 when he and other riders encountered Neely, who was allegedly in the throes of a mental health episode. Penny’s lawyers say Neely was aggressive and threatening.

Neely was reportedly screaming that he was hungry and thirsty and didn’t care if he went to jail. He also allegedly ripped off his coat and threw it on the ground.

In what he says was self-defense, Penny placed Neely in a chokehold while a witness started filming. Over the next several minutes, Penny and Neely grappled on the floor until Neely’s body went limp and he was pronounced dead.