New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently spoke in defense of Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran charged in connection with the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man with a history of criminal activity and mental illness. The incident occurred in May 2023 after Neely made death threats aboard a subway car before being subdued by Penny.

Penny, 26, faces charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Jurors began deliberating the case on Tuesday following his trial.

BREAKING: bombshell bodycam reveals that police detected a pulse on Jordan Neely after he was put in a chokehold by Daniel Penny.

At the behest of BLM who called it a racist killing, Soros-funded D.A. Alvin Bragg is falsely prosecuting Penny for manslaughter.

Penny is innocent. pic.twitter.com/0fxy5xtZ9x

— Dapper Detective (@Dapper_Det) November 1, 2024

Neely, 30, had an extensive criminal record, a history of mental health issues, and an active arrest warrant at the time of his death. Witnesses reported that he entered the subway car, discarded his jacket, and began shouting threats, stating he wasn’t afraid to die, return to jail, or face a life sentence.

Penny restrained Neely in a headlock with the help of another passenger, holding him until authorities arrived. Neely later died. According to Penny’s defense attorney, Steven Raiser, Penny attempted to de-escalate by loosening his hold whenever Neely ceased struggling but maintained restraint when Neely resisted.

“The government wasn’t there. The police weren’t there. Danny was,” Raiser told jurors during his closing arguments. “And when he needed help, no one was there. The government has the nerve to blame Danny because police weren’t there?”

I’ve been in touch with Daniel’s team. He’s obviously been down.

The support you all are showing is lifting his spirits.

Don’t let DA Alvin Bragg’s bullshit go unnoticed.

Jordan Neely only received 4 months for attempting to kidnap a 7 year old little girl.

Daniel Penny is… pic.twitter.com/BmVAVUSqVm

— Amiri King (@AmiriKing) May 12, 2023

On The Rob Astorino Show on November 30, Mayor Adams expressed empathy for Penny’s actions, citing the fear experienced by passengers.

“We’re now on the subway where we’re hearing someone talking about hurting people, killing people,” Adams said. “You have someone [Penny] on that subway who was responding, doing what we should have done as a city. Those passengers were afraid.”

Adams also criticized systemic failures in addressing mental health issues.

“Then you look at the complete failure of our mental health system, a complete failure from the days of closing psychiatric wards and having those who needed help just turned over into the street without giving any safety net to accept them,” he said.

Neely’s Troubled History

The City Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Neely’s death a homicide caused by asphyxiation due to the chokehold. Neely’s criminal record included violent attacks on subway riders.

In 2021, he assaulted a 67-year-old woman at the Bowery station in Lower Manhattan. Between January 2020 and August 2021, Neely faced arrests for public lewdness, assault, and violating a restraining order. These charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal in February 2023.

Mayor Adams also criticized the portrayal of Neely in the media, referencing a widely circulated photo.

“It seemed like it was a young innocent child who was brutally murdered, and it gave that impression,” Adams stated. “When you look at the photo that was being used, it wanted to set up in the minds of people that we were dealing with a young innocent child… just a Michael Jackson imitator that… was brutally assaulted.”