Subway rider who helped restrain man in NYC chokehold death says he wanted ex-Marine to ‘let go’
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A subway commuter who helped an ex-Marine restrain an agitated man aboard a Manhattan subway last year testified that he tried to convince the veteran to loosen his grip around the man’s neck. Eric Gonzalez on Tuesday recalled coming upon the chaotic struggle in which Daniel Penny had Jordan Neely in a firm chokehold. “I said, ‘I’m going to grab his hands so you can let go,’” he testified. Penny is facing manslaughter charges in the May 2023 death of Neely, who died after being in the chokehold for six minutes. Penny’s defense attorneys say their client was seeking to protect himself and fellow riders.
