Jordan Neely Michael Jackson Impersonator dies at age 30

Family attorneys say justice for Jordan Neely’s death would be a murder conviction against Daniel Penny

At a news conference on Friday, attorneys for Jordan Neely’s family, Lennon Edwards and Donte Mills, said that justice would be a conviction for murder, not manslaughter. Earlier in the day, Daniel Penny surrendered to authorities to face manslaughter charges for Neely’s death. On May 1, Neely was killed after a subway encounter in which Penny placed him in a chokehold.

- Are you saying that-- what would justice look like to you? Or are you saying murder?

LENNON EDWARDS: Justice looks like a conviction, and justice looks like a conviction for murder. When you are someone who is trained, we've heard about how Daniel Penny was trained. He was a decorated, they say, Marine. If you're decorated, to me, that means that you've gone through more training and more situations than someone who's a newbie in the process of military.

Now, when you're trained in combat, that gives you something that the average person does not have. It gives you options. It gives you the option of bear hugging, of striking, of many other things, but Daniel Penny chose, intentionally chose a technique to use that is designed to cut off air. That's what he chose, and he chose to continue to hold that choke hold minute after minute, second after second, until there was no life left in Jordan Neely.

That's the choice that he made, and he did it intentionally. So we believe that the conviction should be for murder, because that's intentional. Here's the thing. What did he think would happen? What did he think would happen when he choked him and held on for almost 15 minutes?

So if you look at this and say, it wasn't intentional, did Daniel Penny get up that morning saying, I'm going to go murder somebody? I don't believe he did. But in that moment, even if he was afraid to begin with, at some point, when people are screaming, "let him go, you're going to kill him," at some point, when people are saying, "he defecated on himself," which is a sign, he's losing his light. At some point, when somebody screams, "my wife is a nurse," I'm telling you, you're going to kill him. You're going to get a murder charge.

He could have chose to let him go, but he didn't. And what did he think would happen if he didn't? He had to know he would die. He had to.

news.yahoo.com/family-attorneys-justice-jordan-neely-172727749.html

Man Accused Of Choking Jordan Neely To Death On Subway Released On $100K Bond

DANIEL PENNY ALSO ORDERED TO SURRENDER HIS PASSPORT AND TO NOT LEAVE THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

A three-minute-long video showing Daniel Penny, a white man putting Jordan Neely, a Black man, in what was a deadly chokehold on the F train of a New York City subway car circulated around the internet in early May, and social media has been in an uproar. Some attribute the calls for justice to what finally led to charges against Penny, since he was “initially questioned by police and released without being charged.”

Neely’s death was ruled a homicide by the New York City Medical Examiner “since it was the chokehold that killed him.”

Although Neely’s family attorneys are supportive of the “prosecutors’ decision to charge Penny…[they] said he should have been charged with murder, not manslaughter, and that he should have been arrested sooner.”

Today, the 24-year-old former Marine turned himself in, facing charges of second degree manslaughter, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office. Under New York law, “Second-degree manslaughter is a felony and applies in cases where someone either recklessly causes the death of another or intentionally causes or assists in a person’s suicide,” and in Penny’s case “a police report indicates the charge is tied to the first.”

Penny did not enter a plea at his arraignment in the Manhattan Criminal Court Friday morning. He was released on $100,000 bail, ordered to surrender his passport, and is unable to leave the state without prior approval.

His court date was set for July 17 after a grand jury investigates. If Penny receives a conviction for second degree manslaughter, he could face up to 15 years in prison.

Leaving the courthouse, Penny was flanked by police at his side and did not give any comments to the waiting press.

Lennon Edwards, one of the lawyers representing the Neely family, said “Daniel Penny chose, intentionally chose, a technique to use that is designed to cut off air — that’s what he chose — and he chose to continue to hold that chokehold minute after minute, second after second, until there was no life left in Jordan Neely.”

Another attorney for the Neely family, Donte Mills, spoke at a press conference after Penny turned himself in to authorities, stating that the Marine veteran “acted with indifference,” adding “And we can’t let that stand.”

Mills continued, “For everybody saying, ‘I’ve been on the train and I’ve been afraid before, and I can’t tell you what I would’ve done in that situation.’ I’m gonna tell you — ask how you can help,” said Mills. “Please, don’t attack. Don’t choke, don’t kill, don’t take someone’s life.” “We don’t want anybody afraid on the subway,” Mills stated “But we want people to look at those that may be there in that situation and say, ‘Why?’ And, ‘How can I help them or make a difference?’”

A well-known Michael Jackson impersonator, Neely was also homeless and “had a long history of mental illness,” and has reportedly been experiencing these “issues since 2007, after his mother was brutally murdered when he was 14…[and h]er body was discovered stuffed inside a briefcase.”

Thomas Kenniff is representing Penny and stated, “He is dealing with the situation with the sort of integrity and honor that is characteristic of who he is, a characteristic of his honorable service in the United States Marine Corps.” Penny’s attorneys are claiming self-defense, despite the fact that Neely did not physically attack anyone before he was fatally subdued.

www.essence.com/news/jordan-neely-daniel-penny-released-on-bond/

Rev. Al Sharpton says Daniel Penny's arrest is "just step one" in getting justice for Jordan Neely

NEW YORK -- Rev. Al Sharpton said the manslaughter charge against Daniel Penny is "just step one" in getting justice for Jordan Neely.

Sharpton again called for other subway riders seen on video restraining Neely while Penny held him in a chokehold to be held accountable.

Penny was arrested, arraigned and released on bond Friday. The 24-year-old Marine veteran was charged with second degree manslaughter in Neely's death on the subway.

"He's dealing with the situation with the sort of integrity and honor that is characteristic of who he is," said Thomas Kenniff, Penny's attorney.

Advocates said this is just the beginning of the long road toward justice. At a news conference Saturday morning, Sharpton is expected to call for other passengers who were on the subway to face consequences too.

On Friday, attorneys for Neely's family called for more serious charges. Neely's father and aunt were too distraught to speak.

"The consequences of manslaughter two is five to 15 years. Ask yourself, is that enough? Is that enough for someone who choked somebody out on the train and took their life?" said Lennon Edwards, an attorney for Neely's family.

Attorneys described how Neely's mental health declined after his mother was choked to death when he was a child. Despite intermittent treatment, a lack of resources left him homeless, they said.

"For everybody saying 'I've been on the train and I've been afraid before and I can't tell you what I would've done in that situation,' I'm gonna tell you. Ask how you can help, please," said Donte Mills, an attorney for Neely's family.

At Penny's arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass alleged, "Several witnesses observed Mr. Neely making threats and scaring passengers, the defendant approached Mr. Neely from behind and placed him in a chokehold, taking him down to the ground."

They said Penny continued for several minutes, including after Neely stopped moving.

The defense told the judge Penny was cooperating with police, earned multiple medals in the Marine Corps before being honorably discharged and is now pursuing a bachelor's degree in architecture at a college in New York City.

Penny did not have to enter a plea.

"Because the grand jury hasn't yet indicted him and the people, the prosecutor, plan to bring this before a grand jury," said legal expert Andrew Lieb.

Penny was questioned by police and released on the day of Neely's death. The Civilian Complaint Review Board is investigating NYPD's decision not to arrest him.

Sharpton said he has the same questions.

www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/al-sharpton-says-daniel-penny-arrest-is-just-step-one-justice-for-jordan-neely/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h