Kid Rock has donated $5,000 to the legal fund Daniel Penny, the man charged with second-degree manslaughter for killing Jordan Neely on the subway.
Penny was filmed putting Neely in a chokehold, with the man going limp during the shocking incident.
Despite Penny potentially facing up to 15 years in prison, Kid Rock has dubbed him a ‘hero’.
The former US marine is now out on bail and is expected to appear in court in July over the May 1 altercation.
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At the time, Penny had been travelling on the New York City subway in Manhattan with Neely also travelling in the same F car.
Eyewitnesses claim Neely, a homeless man, had shouted about being hungry and ‘being fed up’ shortly before he was put in a chokehold by the veteran.
A video of the incident has also emerged on Facebook, showing the Black man being restrained and kicking his legs as three men pin him down.
Shortly after this, the 30-year goes unconscious and was later transported to Lenox Hill Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A medical examiner later stated that Neely’s death had been caused by ‘compression of neck (chokehold)’.
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The shocking incident caused protests across NYC, demanding justice for Neely and his family.
Penny’s attorney Steven M. Raiser denies that race was a factor in the killing, stating that: “The mindset is pretty simple: He was fearful for the safety of those passengers…So when he acted, his mindset was to keep his fellow passengers safe from attack.”
As the proceedings continue, Penny’s legal team has received over $2.4 million (£1.9m) in donations on GiveSendGo.
This included Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who gave $10,000 (£7999) according to the page.
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Kid Rock was also among the 50,000 donors, giving over $5,000 to the fund with a note about his contribution.
It read: “Mr. Penny is a hero… [Manhattan District Attorney] Alvin Bragg is a POS — Kid Rock.”
Later on, a representative for the 'All Summer Long' singer would confirm that the funds came from the controversial musician.
In response to the donations, Raiser told The Post: “The importance of this support has gone beyond the dollar amount raised and has come to symbolize a statement of support for the right and duty to stand up for each other when faced with an imminent threat.”
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Meanwhile, Neely’s family have called for Penny to face a murder charge.
UNILAD has contacted Kid Rock for a comment.
Topics: Celebrity, Crime, Jordan Neely, New York, Politics, True crime, US News, Daniel Penny