NEW YORK: A New York grand jury has indicted an ex-US Marine who was taped placing a displaced man in a deadly chokehold on a channel train, US media reported on Wednesday.
The verdict comes following prosecutors in May charged former US Marine Daniel Penny with second-degree murder for killing a street performer identified as Jordan Neely.
New York Jury Votes to Indict Former Marine in Subway Chokehold Murder
The jury decision was essential for prosecutors to officially charge Daniel Penny, who is on bail. Daniel Penny said that he was acting in self-defense during the incident.
A lawyer for Neely’s family told the media that the family had been informed about the decision of the grand jury. The formal charging document is likely to be unveiled at a later date. If found guilty of second-degree murder, he could face up to fifteen years in jail.
The former Marine was apprehended on 12th May following initially being permitted by police to leave the scene of Neely’s death.
On Sunday, Daniel Penny released a video via social media claiming he did not intend to kill Neely.
“There’s a common misunderstanding that Marines don’t get afraid,” he said in the video. Family of Neely said that the second-degree murder charge should be elevated to murder. The killing shocked the entire city and led to questions regarding the safety and security of public transit and treatment for mentally ill homeless citizens.
