Photo: Getty Images
Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran accused of choking Jordan Neely to death on a New York City subway, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.
On Wednesday (June 28), Penny, 24, appeared in court, only speaking to say "not guilty" when asked for his plea in the case of the chokehold death of Neely, a 30-year-old Michael Jackson impersonator who was homeless, per CNN.
Neely's death unfolded on a New York City subway on May 1. Penny, who is white, confronted Neely after he allegedly shouted at passengers that he was hungry, thirsty, and didn't care whether he died. The former Marine forced Neely onto the ground and put him in a chokehold until he stopped breathing.
Penny turned himself into police custody but was released on a $100,000 bond. He was indicted by a grand jury earlier this month. The 24-year-old's attorneys claim Penny "acted reasonably" given the circumstances.
“All of the evidence that we’ve seen so far, all of the evidence that we expect to see, shows that Danny acted reasonably, under very difficult circumstances in a confined environment that none of us would want to find ourselves in,” Penny’s attorney, Thomas Kenniff, said in a statement.
Attorneys for Neely's family said of the indictment: “When justice happens … don’t be shocked." “Daniel Penny killed a man. He took a life,” attorney Donte Mills stated.
Penny is scheduled to be back in court on October 25.
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