A grand jury has voted to indict a 24-year-old former US Marine over the death of 30-year-old homeless New Yorker Jordan Neely who he placed in a fatal chokehold on a Manhattan subway train last month.
Daniel Penny initially faced a charge of second-degree manslaughter when he was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on 12 May. He did not enter a plea and has remained out of custody on a $100,000 bond.
On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Mr Penny on a second-degree manslaughter charge and criminally negligent homicide charge. The indictment is expected to be unsealed at a later court date. His arraignment is set for 28 June.
Following the news, a legal fund set up to support the 24-year-old soared past $2.8m as conservatives continue to hail Mr Penny as a hero. Meanwhile, Neely’s family welcomed the indictment and thanked AOC and “every peaceful protester and all who still believe wrong actions should have consequences”.
Mr Penny has defended his actions in interviews with Fox News and The New York Post.
