Daniel Penny doesn’t deserve a plea deal, says Christopher Neely, the uncle of the late Jordan Neely.
The ex-Marine was charged with manslaughter on Sunday (21 May) following Jordan Neely’s tragic death on a New York subway.
Now, the victim’s uncle has come forward saying that granting the 24-year-old a plea bargain would be a ‘smack in the face for Jordan’s family’.
His comments come after harrowing video footage emerged of Penny holding Jordan Neely in a chokehold by the neck during a confrontation on the New York subway.
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The incident happened on May 1 on an F train headed for Manhattan with two other men also restraining Neely, who was homeless and had a history of mental illness.
After his death, a city medical examiner ruled that it was a homicide and that Neely had died from ‘compression of neck (chokehold)’.
Those representing Penny argue that the former marine was attempting to protect himself and passengers, adding that there was no racial element in the case.
Meanwhile, Neely’s family have argued that Penny should be tried for murder, including Neely’s uncle Christopher.
“He needs to be prosecuted or he will do it again,” he told the New York Post, adding: “It’s a smack in the face for Jordan’s family and the people of New York.”
Neely then stated that the family had been ‘deeply saddened’ by the loss of their loved on and that they hoped to ‘change the system that’s so desperately failed’ them.
After Penny was charged with the crime on Sunday, Neely added that he ‘wanted’ it to go to trial.
“He has too much confidence in himself and has to be taught what he did was wrong,” he said to The Post.
“He thinks what he did was a good deed — that is monstrous,” he added: “How can you say ‘everything I did was right’ when he killed an unarmed man that weighed 100 pounds, if that?”
However, Penny isn’t the only one who Neely wants to face justice after the Marine refused to apologise for the killing.
He and other members of Neely’s family also want charges brought against the two men who assisted Penny.
“Whoever helped hold Jordan down assisted a homicide and should be charged,” he remarked, adding: “Jordan could still be alive if the other men weren’t holding his arms … The other assailants stopped Jordan from saving himself.
However, it remains unclear whether authorities will bring charges against the other individuals involved.
“They have to be held accountable,” he continued. “The Penny, the nickel and the dime should all be charged.”
Topics: Crime, True crime, US News, Jordan Neely, Daniel Penny
Katherine Sidnell