Update 05/21/2023 11:50am:

Recently, the man who choked out a Michael Jackson impersonator on an MTA train in New York—Daniel Penny, has broken his silence on the situation. 

Many believed the ex-Marine was a White supremacist due to his actions where he choked out a Black man named Jordan Neely, a known Michael Jackson impersonator who reportedly suffered from mental health issues. The incident went down on May 1 while on the F train, and viral footage unfortunately circulated across the internet. Since then, Penny turned himself in and is now facing criminal charges that could put him in prison for up to 15 years. 

Penny commented about the situation for the first time since the news and footage broke while speaking to the New York Post, saying, “This had nothing to do with race.”

Explaining further, Penny said, “I judge a person based on their character. I’m not a white supremacist. I mean, it’s, it’s a little bit comical. Everybody who’s ever met me can tell you, I love all people, I love all cultures. You can tell by my past and all my travels and adventures around the world. I was actually planning a road trip through Africa before this happened.”

From there, Penny clarified that he is “a normal guy.” When asked about the experience on the train, the 24-year-old noted he couldn’t speak too much on the case, but the incident was not “anything I’d experienced before.” 

Penny’s lawyer Thomas Kenniff claims passengers on the F train will back up the story of the ex-Marine, saying, “I can tell you that the threats, the menacing, the terror that Jordan Neely introduced to that train has already been well documented.” Stay tuned for more updates.

source: NY Post

Original 05/12/2023 4:38pm:

Reports surfaced noting that Daniel Penny was charged with the death of Michael Jackson impersonator Jordan Neely. Penny was the U.S. Marine veteran who was seen choking Neely while on the New York City MTA Subway.  

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg delivered the update, noting he’s moving forward with charges against Penny. The 24-year-old was arrested for second-degree manslaughter and appeared in court but did not enter a plea. The former U.S. Marine turned himself in to the NYPD on Friday and was released. 

Lawyers for the 24-year-old previously issued a statement saying, “We fully expect that Danny will be exonerated of all charges.” Stay tuned for more updates.

source: ABC News

Original 05/03/2023 2:02pm:

According to reports, a well-known Michael Jackson impersonator named Jordan Neely (30) was choked to death by a U.S. Marine veteran (24) on Monday after he allegedly caused a disturbance on a Manhattan subway. Prior to the tragic incident, the famed street performer, who was beloved by several citizens that frequented the Times Square area, had fallen on hard times while struggling with homelessness and mental illness.

The occurrence began to unfold around 2:30 pm when Jordan boarded the northbound F train before issuing threats aimed towards fellow riders. He then reportedly screamed, "I want food!" I'm not taking no for an answer! I'm ready to go back to jail, and I'll hurt anyone on this train!" Moments later, Jordan threw garbage at other riders on the train, which caused a U.S. Marine to approach him from behind. Their confrontation turned into a physical altercation, resulting in the Marine placing Jordan in a chokehold as the F train neared the Broadway-Lafayette station.  Jordan lost consciousness after the Marine and a few other bystanders subdued him. Jordan remained in the chokehold for 15 minutes until first responders arrived. Following the sad on-camera incident, Jordan was rushed to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City before being pronounced dead. As for the Marine, he was questioned by law enforcement before being released with no charges. The news has fueled support for Jordan Neely and the Marine who took his life. Some view the Marine as a hero, while others have labeled him a killer whose actions were too extreme.

You can watch a highlight video of Jordan Neely working on the streets of NYC as a Michael Jackson impersonator by clicking here.

Scroll up to watch footage of the aforementioned tragic incident. But, be warned, the video contains sensitive material.

Source: YouTube