The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is investigating Jordan Neely’s chokehold death as a homicide following a coroner’s ruling.
Cellphone video shows a former US Marine restraining Neely, a 30-year-old homeless schizophrenic, who was behaving erratically on the F train.
Neely died minutes after he was put in a chokehold by a 24-year-old former Marine on Monday, May 1.
Neely boarded the F train and began screaming and throwing garbage at fellow passengers, according to witnesses.
Neely reportedly yelled: “I don’t have food, I don’t have a drink, I’m fed up. I don’t mind going to jail and getting life in prison. I’m ready to die.”
Some passengers got up and moved away from Neely as he ranted and raved.
The former Marine walked up behind Neely and put him in a chokehold. Two other passengers helped to subdue Neely.
The Medical Examiner’s Office ruled his death a homicide by way of asphyxiation.
The former Marine was arrested on Monday but he was released the same day without charges.
The DA’s office released a statement on Thursday, saying the investigation into Neely’s death is being handled by “senior, experienced prosecutors.”
“This is a solemn and serious matter that ended in the tragic loss of Jordan Neely’s life,” a spokesperson from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said. “As part of our rigorous ongoing investigation, we will review the Medical Examiner’s report, assess all available video and photo footage, identify and interview as many witnesses as possible, and obtain additional medical records. This investigation is being handled by senior, experienced prosecutors and we will provide an update when there is additional public information to share.”
NYC Mayor Eric Adams urged caution and suggested the Marine may not have been at fault.
“Any loss of life is tragic. There’s a lot we don’t know about what happened here, so I’m going to refrain from commenting further,” he said.
“I was a former transit officer, and I responded to many jobs where you had a passenger assisting somewhat. So we can’t blanketly say what a passenger should or shouldn’t do in a situation like that,” he added.
Neely’s aunt said he was a homeless Michael Jackson impersonator with autism and schizophrenia. He was arrested 42 times in the past ten years for violent incidents, including punching a 67-year-old woman in the face and attempting to shove a man onto the tracks.
Neely’s aunt said he descended into madness after his mother, Christie, was strangled to death by her boyfriend in 2007.
This is Jordan Neely.
On Monday, he was lynched.
On the NYC subway he started telling passengers that he was fed up being hungry, thirsty and having no place to rest. He began to shout in his frustration, and threw his jacket on the floor.
An ex-marine then murdered him.? pic.twitter.com/givJukrhlK
— Marxist777 (@Marxist777) May 3, 2023
Rest In Peace, Jordan Neely. pic.twitter.com/sZ25wovedU
— Marxist777 (@Marxist777) May 3, 2023
Protesters demonstrated on the subway platform on Wednesday, calling for justice for Neely. They say Neely was “lynched” for being a homeless Black man. The former Marine is Caucasian.
He was failed by overfunded cops who decided his public lynching was acceptable. But worst of all, he was failed by other New Yorkers who believed the lies and cheered on his murder. pic.twitter.com/x1HNbzlMbj
— Marxist777 (@Marxist777) May 3, 2023
However, some New Yorkers say Neely’s violent background and criminal history make it hard to muster any sympathy for him.
Users in a Reddit.com thread shared their harrowing encounters with Neely in the subway.
One Redditor wrote:
“This man jumped on me, grabbed my shoulders, and pushed me towards the tracks Sunday night at this very station. I was able to run away but he got physical and chased other people standing on the platform before getting on an uptown train. This whole thing is so sad.”
Another Reddit user wrote:
“I think I had ran into him too. I was traveling on the F train last Monday where I saw him verbally abuse another passenger. He was cursing at the man sitting across from him, provoking him to fight. I got so scared when he stood up but he got back down again and continue to scream insults. I’m thoroughly impressed the passenger who kept his cool.”
And a woman wrote:
“I am fairly confident had a run in with him last summer, from the photos and everyone’s description of him. I was heavily pregnant, taking the train to work and he got in the car and started screaming about how he could get away with murder, etc. He looked at me and yelled ” You’re lucky you knocked up, I ain’t no baby killer, white bitch!” and started to move towards me, but thankfully a group of 3 large, built guys stepped in front of me and stared him down. He screamed at them to fight him until the next stop then got off.”
