Daniel Penny, the 24-year-old vigilante captured on video choking Jordan Neely to death on a Manhattan subway last month, pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide on Wednesday. It was the expected outcome of Pennyâs arraignment, as heâs insisted that Neelyâwho he claims threatened subway ridersâmay have killed someone if he didnât intervene. Bystanders filmed Penny, a white U.S. Marine veteran, placing Neely, a 30-year-old Black man, in a chokehold for several minutes as others helped pin Neely down. An indictment unsealed Wednesday alleged Penny ârecklessly caused the death of Jordan Neely.â Penny claims that he acted in self defense and never meant to kill, while Neelyâs family asserts Neely was slain in cold blood. If convicted, Penny faces up to 15 years in prison. Thomas Kenniff, a defense attorney, said outside court Wednesday that Penny has âgreat confidence a jury of his peersâ will find him not guilty.
