A former U.S. Marine, Daniel Penny, is set to go on trial for the fatal chokehold of Jordan Neely, a homeless man, on a New York subway in May 2023.
protesters gather outside courthouse as Daniel Penny trial begins in Manhattan
The case, which sparked a national debate on race and criminal justice, involves Penny’s confrontation with Neely on a northbound F train.
Witnesses claim Neely was behaving in an “insanely threatening” manner, prompting Penny to restrain him in a chokehold.
However, prosecutors argue Penny recklessly caused Neely’s death by holding the chokehold for over six minutes, even after Neely stopped moving.Penny, 25, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter or four years for criminally negligent homicide.
Jury selection begins Monday and could take a week, with the trial expected to last up to six weeks, legal experts say.