Daniel Penny is in police custody after being charged with the killing of Jordan Neely.
Today (May 12), Penny surrendered himself to authorities at the 5th Precinct in lower Manhattan, The New York Post reported. After the 24-year-old former Marine arrived, he was arrested on a second-degree manslaughter charge for Neely’s death.
The news comes less than a day after the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office shared they were pursuing charges against Penny. “We can confirm that Daniel Penny will be arrested on a charge of manslaughter in the second degree,” a spokesperson for DA Alvin Bragg said.
Before the announcement, the city’s DA’s office was under immense pressure from protesters and law officials. The public plea for charges to be filed erupted after a medical examiner ruled Neely’s death a homicide. On May 1, 30-year-old Neely boarded the NYC subway’s F train, reportedly yelling for food in a public outcry. Penny, who allegedly has training in mixed martial arts, approached the known Michael Jackson impersonator and placed him in a chokehold.
According to footage of the incident, Penny held Neely in the locked position for almost 15 minutes until his body was motionless. Afterward, Neely was transported to a local hospital, where doctors pronounced him deceased. Penny was questioned by law enforcement but was not taken into custody.
A few days after Neely’s passing, the former Marine released a statement regarding the 30-year-old through his legal counsel. In the release, Penny spoke about Neely having a reported history of violent behavior and untreated mental illness. He insisted his actions resulted from him protecting himself until help arrived.
However, on May 8, Neely’s family slammed Penny’s claims calling his release “a character assassination.” “The truth is, he knew nothing about Jordan’s history when he intentionally wrapped his arms around Jordan’s neck and squeezed and kept squeezing,” the family noted in a letter. Per the outlet, Penny’s arraignment is set for this afternoon. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.