Former Marine Charged in Subway Chokehold Death of Jordan Neely Freed on Bond

Former Marine Daniel Penny released on $100,000 bond over death of Jordan Neely
Penny was recently charged with manslaughter for the subway chokehold death of Neely
The suspect could face up to 15 years in prison for the manslaughter charge

Daniel Penny, the former Marine charged with manslaughter in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely, has been freed on a $100,000 bond.

The incident was caught on video, where Penny was putting Neely in a deadly chokehold while on a New York City subway train. The former Marine was released on bail on Friday after he turned himself in to face criminal charges.

Daniel Penny Released on $100,000 Bond

The 24-year-old suspect was recently charged with second-degree manslaughter for the victim's death, said the Manhattan district attorney's office on Thursday. The victim, 30-year-old Neely, was a former impersonator of the great Michael Jackson.

He was homeless and lost his life following the chokehold earlier this month. On Friday, attorneys representing Neely's family supported the prosecutors' decision to charge Penny but argued that he should be charged with the victim's murder, not manslaughter. They also said authorities should have arrested him sooner, according to CBS News.

In a statement on Friday, Neely family attorney Lennon Edwards argued that Penny intentionally chose a technique that cut off the victim's air supply. He added that the defendant continued to keep Neely in the chokehold minute after minute and second after second.

If the former Marine is convicted of the manslaughter charge, he could be imprisoned for as long as 15 years. Penny did not enter a plea deal in his Friday court appearance and was later released on bond. Authorities require the defendant to surrender his passport and cannot leave the state without prior approval.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg released a statement saying that Neely should still be alive today if not for Penny. He also sympathized with the victim's family as they mourned their loved one's loss. The former Marine is also scheduled to return to court on July 17.

Jordan Neely's Subway Chokehold Death

Penny's attorneys have argued that the former Marine acted in self-defense to protect the people on the subway after Neely allegedly threatened them. They argued that the defendant could not have foreseen that the victim would die while being choked, calling the death an "unfortunate result," according to NBC New York.

Sources said that the New York district attorney's decision to charge Penny was made in consultation with the New York Police Department (NYPD) before the case was presented to a grand jury.

During his brief arraignment, Penny kept mostly quiet, simply answering Judge Kevin McGrath's answers using one-word responses. At the time, Steve Raiser, his lawyer, placed his arm around his client's shoulder.

In a statement, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass said that the victim was allegedly threatening and "scaring passengers" before Penny approached him from behind. The former Marine then kept the hold on for several minutes, even after the victim was motionless, said the Associated Press.