Daniel Penny’s GiveSendGo campaign raises over $400K.

Online Fundraiser for Man Charged in Fatal Subway Chokehold Surpasses $400,000

An online fundraiser for Daniel Penny, the man charged with second-degree manslaughter after putting Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold aboard a New York City subway earlier this month, has surpassed $400,000 and continues to climb.

Legal Defense Fund for Penny

The GiveSendGo page, set up by Raiser & Kenniff, P.C., states that the money raised will go toward Penny’s legal defense fund as he faces charges over the death of Neely, a homeless man who was allegedly terrorizing people on the train before Penny restrained him with a headlock for about 15 minutes.

• Donations, some as high as $1,000, and prayers could be seen on the page after Penny surrendered to law enforcement in New York to be arraigned on Friday.
• Penny did not enter a plea, contrary to what had been initially reported by the Gothamist, with the expectation that he will be indicted by a grand jury.
• Penny was released on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be back in court on July 17.
• If convicted on the manslaughter charge, Penny faces up to 15 years in prison.

“Funds are being raised to pay Mr. Penny’s legal fees incurred from any criminal charges filed and any future civil lawsuits that may arise, as well as expenses related to his defense,” the fundraising page says. “All contributions are greatly appreciated. Any proceeds collected which exceed those necessary to cover Mr. Penny’s legal defense will be donated to a mental health advocacy program in New York City.”

Neely’s Death and Penny’s Defense

Neely was a 30-year-old man known to locals as a dancing Michael Jackson impersonator who struggled with mental health issues and homelessness. On May 1, video showed Penny on the ground holding Neely in a chokehold, restraining the man with the help of others. Neely appeared to lose consciousness and was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital.

Lawyers for Penny said their client acted in self-defense when the situation started to get dangerous. “When Mr. Neely began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and the other passengers, Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves until help arrived. Daniel never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death,” they said in a statement.

Protests and Calls for More Serious Charges

Neely’s death has led to protests, including activists jumping on subway tracks, and New York City Mayor Adams called it a “tragedy that never should have happened.” Neely’s family members and their attorneys have called for Penny to face a more serious murder charge.

“When you’re trained in combat, it gives you options, but Daniel Penny chose to use a technique that is designed to cut off air, and he chose to continue to hold that chokehold until there was no life left in Jordan Neely,” said attorney Donte Mills, according to The New York Post. “We believe that the conviction should be for murder because that’s intentional,” the lawyer added.

Funeral Services for Neely

A GoFundMe page set up by Carolyn Neely, Jordan Neely’s aunt, has raised more than $60,000 as of Friday afternoon. The page says donations will go toward Jordan Neely’s funeral and expenses related to his burial. Funeral services are expected to take place on May 19 in Harlem.

Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.