During a trial in New York City, witnesses testified about an incident where Marine veteran Daniel Penny placed a chokehold on Jordan Neely, a homeless man, who had been acting erratically on a subway train. One witness, Moriela Sanchez, testified that Neely had raised his fists and was shouting at passengers, indicating that he may start attacking people if not given food or water. Penny intervened by placing Neely in a chokehold to prevent him from attacking others. Sanchez felt relieved when Penny restrained Neely but later contradicted her own grand jury testimony about the nature of the hold.
Another witness, Kaydren Schrunk, described Neely’s behavior as threatening and intimidating, mentioning that he smelled strongly of sweat and appeared to be making life-threatening statements. She feared for her safety and believed that Neely might have had a weapon. When Penny intervened, Schrunk felt scared for her own life for the first time, highlighting the chaotic and dangerous situation on the subway train. Penny’s actions were described as necessary to control Neely’s behavior.
Johnny Grima, an unemployed man who works with the homeless, testified that he arrived after the altercation had started and saw Penny let go of Neely, who was unconscious at that point. Grima expressed concern about Neely being left on his back while unconscious and testified that Penny handled him in a manner that seemed careless. Despite objections from Penny’s defense team, the judge allowed Grima to continue testifying due to the relevance of his account.
The trial also heard testimony from an NYPD 911 technician, Paula Williams, about the calls received on the day of Neely’s death. A recording of one of the calls described Neely’s behavior on the train and the actions taken to restrain him. NYPD Officer Isatu Cesay testified that when she arrived at the scene, Neely was unconscious and did not have a pulse. Penny admitted to placing Neely in a chokehold during a conversation with Cesay, and bodycam footage corroborated his statement.
Prosecutors argue that Penny’s actions were negligent and caused Neely’s death, while the defense claims that Penny acted in justified self-defense. Penny, a Marine Corps veteran and college student, could face up to 19 years in prison if convicted. Neely had a history of mental illness and criminal behavior, including a prior charge for assaulting a woman. The trial is ongoing, and updates can be found on Fox News Digital.
