By JAKE OFFENHARTZ and MICHAEL R. SISAK (article edited by The SUN)
NEW YORK (AP) — A White U.S. Marine veteran who used a fatal chokehold on an agitated fellow African-American passenger on the New York City subway turned himself in to authorities Friday on a manslaughter charge that could send him to prison.
Daniel Penny, 24, was expected to appear in court later in the afternoon to answer to criminal charges in the May 1 death of Jordan Neely, a Black man.
Penny didn’t speak to reporters as he arrived at a Manhattan police station with his lawyers Friday morning. His attorneys have said he was acting in self-defense when he pinned Neely to the floor of the subway car with the help of two other passengers and held him in a chokehold for several minutes.
A freelance journalist who recorded Neely struggling to free himself, then lapsing into unconsciousness, said he had been shouting at passengers and begging for money aboard the train but had not gotten physical with anyone. Penny’s lawyers have said he was “threatening” passengers but haven’t elaborated.
Neely’s death has raised an uproar over many issues, including how those with mental illness are treated by the transit system and the city, as well as crime, race and vigilantism. Penny was questioned by police in the aftermath but was released without charges.
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