'We cannot let this stand': Jordan Neely's lawyers compare his death to Kaylin Gillis killing and Ralph Yarl shooting
Warning: The article contains a recollection of crime that could be triggering to some readers. Discretion is advised.
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: The attorneys of Jordan Neely, the homeless man who died after being put in a chokehold by ex-Marine Daniel Penny, compared the former’s murder to the tragic killing of Kaylin Gillis and the shooting of Ralph Yarl. “We have people being killed for ringing the wrong doorbell, pulling in the wrong driveway, and screaming out in desperation on the subway. We cannot let that stand,” attorney Donte Mills, who represents Neely alongside Lennon Edwards, said in a statement, as per Forbes.
Meanwhile, Penny’s lawyers claimed that the Marine veteran “never intended to harm him” and acted after Neely was seen “aggressively threatening” Penny and other passengers on the train, The Guardian reported. However, Neely’s family has reportedly hired a law firm to “hold the MTA and his killer” accountable for his death, according to Daily Mail.
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Jordan Neely chokehold death: NYC subway riders made several 911 calls, claiming one man had a gun
Neely was reportedly yelling about being hungry and being ready to die while traveling on a subway train on Monday, May 1. Shortly after, he was pinned down by his fellow passengers and placed in a chokehold by Penny, a video recording showed. First responders arrived at the scene to find Neely unconscious before taking him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. His death was ruled a homicide.
Jordan Neely's family attorneys to hold ‘the MTA and his killer accountable’
Neely’s family has hired attorneys from a new firm to “hold the MTA and his killer” accountable for the former’s death. “We understand our current times have created a heightened sense of fear (sometimes reasonable, sometimes not.) However, there has to be a clear line of when lethal force can be used by anyone, including civilians,” Neely’s family attorneys from Mills & Edwards said in a statement.
“Mr Neely suffered from mental illness which began at age 14 when he experienced the brutal murder of his mother. It is a tragedy for all of us to know that Jordan Neely’s life was also cut short,” the statement continued. “Mills & Edwards is committed to holding accountable the MTA and Neely’s killer,” it added.
Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg is also weighing charges against Penny and a grand jury for the case is likely to be empanelled next week, the Daily Mail reported. Attorney Mark Bederow reportedly told the Associated Press that charges against Penny would most likely include second-degree manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide.
Daniel Penny's attorneys say he ‘never intended to harm him’
In the wake of Neely’s death, Penny's attorneys from Raiser & Kenniff released a statement defending the US Marine veteran. “We would first like to express, on behalf of Daniel Penny, our condolences to those close to Mr Neely,” the statement read. “Mr Neely had a documented history of violent and erratic behavior, the apparent result of ongoing and untreated mental illness,” it added.
“When Mr Neely began aggressively threatening Daniel Penny and the other passengers, Daniel, with the help of others, acted to protect themselves, until help arrived,” the statement continued. “Daniel never intended to harm Mr Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death,” it noted.
In their statement, the attorneys also criticized New York City officials who have failed to address the mental health crisis among the homeless population. “For too long, those suffering from mental illness have been treated with indifference,” the statement mentioned. “We hope that out of this awful tragedy will come a new commitment by our elected officials to address the mental health crisis on our streets and subway,” it concluded.
The murder of Kaylin Gillis
On April 15, 2023, a little before 10.00 pm, 20-year-old Gillis was killed after being fatally shot for pulling into a wrong driveway in Hebron, New York. Gillis and her friends were reportedly looking for another friend’s house when their car, driven by Gillis’ boyfriend, and another vehicle, mistakenly pulled into the driveway of Kevin D Monahan.
The group reportedly began to back their vehicle out from the driveway after realizing they were at the wrong address, with Gillis being one of the four people in the last car to pull away. While the group was exiting the driveway, Monahan fired two shots at the vehicle using a 20-gauge shotgun, killing Gillis in the process. The group drove towards the neighboring town of Salem, to contact 911.
Monahan was arrested following an hour-long standoff after initially refusing to surrender to authorities. He was charged with second-degree murder and is being held at the Warren County Jail in Lake George. He reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges but was denied bail.
The shooting of Ralph Yarl
Nearly two days before Gillis’ murder, 16-year-old Yarl was shot and severely wounded after ringing the doorbell to the wrong house in Kansas City, Missouri. He was set to pick up his twin brothers from an address in the 1100 block of NE 115th Terrace on April 13, 2023. However, Yarl mistakenly went to the wrong address less than a block away on NE 115th Street, and rang the doorbell of the home, belonging to 84-year-old Andrew Daniel Lester.
The latter allegedly shot Yarl twice through the front glass door of the house. The teen was later found lying injured in the street with at least two gunshot wounds to the head and arm, investigators mentioned. Lester was taken into custody on April 14 but no initial charges were filed against him. Yarl was discharged from the hospital on April 16.
The following day, The Clay County prosecutor's office said that they had not received a criminal referral from the Kansas City Police Department related to the shooting. It was later announced that Lester would be charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. The man surrendered himself to authorities on April 18 but and was released on bail later that day. Lester told the police that he thought that Yarl was trying to break in.