Jurors are expected to hear closing arguments Monday in the Daniel Penny manslaughter and negligent homicide case .
Penny, 25, is charged with manslaughter and negligent homicide in the May 2023 New York City subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely, 30, a homeless man . Neely was acting erratically in a subway car when Penny put him in the chokehold that led to his death. He pleaded not guilty.
The case has raised questions about safety, race, mental illness and homelessness.
Prosecutors said Penny may be an “honorable veteran” who had “laudable” intentions to protect his fellow F train passengers from a ranting, threatening Neely but went “way too far,” holding Neely around the neck for nearly six minutes, past the point when he posed a threat. Video seen publicly for the first time at trial showed police discovering a muffin inside Neely’s pocket but no weapon.
The medical examiner who conducted Neely’s autopsy testified that Penny’s chokehold caused Neely’s death. A Marine martial arts trainer testified that Penny did not follow his training.