The family of Jordan Neely, the New York man who died after being placed in a chokehold by a former Marine on the subway, issued a statement on Monday criticizing recent statements about Neely as "character assassination," NBC News reported.
Attorneys for Daniel Penny, the former Marine who fatally choked Neely, issued a statement last week claiming that Penny acted in self-defense after Neely was "aggressively threatening" him and other passengers.
"Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves, until help arrived," the statement continued. "Daniel never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death."
The attorneys representing the Neely family issued a statement on Monday, saying: "Daniel Penny's press release is not an apology nor an expression of regret. It is character assassination, and a clear example of why he believed he was entitled to take Jordan's life."
The statement said that Penny "knew nothing about [Jordan's] history when he intentionally wrapped his arms around Jordan's neck, and squeezed and kept squeezing. For too long, those suffering from mental illness have been treated with indifference,"
The statment said that Penny himself "acted with indifference, both at the time he killed Jordan and now in his first public message. He never attempted to help him at all. In short, his actions on the train, and now his words, show why he needs to be in prison."
The statement concluded, "You cannot 'assist' someone with a chokehold."
CBS2 notes that according to their sources, multiple passengers on the subway train at the time called 911 to report Neely behaving erratically, throwing trash, and threatening passengers. Penny has not been charged with a crime.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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