Jordan Neely chokehold death: Infamous NYC vigilante says Marine vet has ‘got to pay’: report

An infamous New York City subway vigilante said the U.S. Marine who allegedly killed Jordan Neely by putting him in a chokehold for 15 minutes “got to pay.”

Monday’s deadly incident, which involved a White man killing a Black homeless man, sparked protests and violent clashes with NYPD this week and drew comparisons to Bernie Goetz’s shooting of four Black teenagers in a subway in 1984. 

Goetz claimed it was in self-defense, and he was ultimately acquitted of attempted murder, but fined $5,000 and sentenced to six months in prison for illegal weapons possession, The New York Post reported. 

He “sarcastically” said the Marine — identified as 24-year-old Daniel Penny — “Killed Michael Jackson. He got to pay,” according to The New York Post. 

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Screenshot from bystander video showing Jordan Neely being held in a chokehold on the New York City subway. (Luces de Nueva York/Juan Alberto Vazquez via Storyful)

Goetz was referring to Neely’s impersonations of Michael Jackson in Times Square and on the subways. 

“I think Michael Jackson, tattoos, piercings, and cocaine all suck equally,” he reportedly said when The Post asked him whether he is a fan of the King of Pop. 

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Neely, 30, was reportedly have a mental breakdown on the F train Monday. Witnesses claimed he was yelling and pacing back and forth until Perry put him in a chokehold, which was recorded on cell phone cameras and went viral. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced Wednesday that “senior, experienced prosecutors” are investigating Neely’s death, which the city’s medical examiner determined was a homicide caused by compression of the neck. 

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“This is a solemn and serious matter that ended in the tragic loss of Jordan Neely’s life,” a spokesperson for Bragg said in a statement. 

“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.”

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The 24-year-old military veteran was taken into custody and released, sparking public outrage in Lower Manhattan. 

In the footage, demonstrators on the platform can be heard chanting “F— Eric Adams,” referring to the mayor who said Wednesday that the DA should be given time to conduct his investigation.  

The NYPD arrested five protesters Wednesday on charges ranging from making graffiti to resisting arrest, obstruction and harassment. Demonstrator Isabel Penzlien, 48, was charged with assault, reckless endangerment and other alleged crimes.

Retired NYPD Lt. John Macari, whose podcast “The Finest Unfiltered” focuses on issues facing the city’s police department, told Fox News Digital that the incident highlights an overall failure in public safety. 

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“You have people commuting on a train who have to deal with mentally ill people who are a danger to themselves and others,” he said. “But there are no cops on the subway platform — even though the NYPD has a larger budget than some countries in the world.”

He said the Marine veteran was trying to be a Good Samaritan who stepped in to help. “It’s easy for us to sit here when our adrenaline isn’t flowing and say that [chokehold] is too long,” he added. “But he was probably terrified. If I let him go, what’s going to happen?”

Jordan Neely (left) and Moses Harper doing their Michael Jackson impersonations in front Regal cinemas in Times Square where the Michael Jackson movie “This is IT” was screening, Tuesday, October 27, 2009. Neely was killed on Monday, May 1, 2023, on a New York City subway after reportedly being placed in a chokehold by a fellow passenger. (Andrew Savulich/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

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The Manhattan DA’s Office is asking anyone who witnessed the fatal encounter or has information about it to call 212-335-9040.

Fox News’ Rebecca Rosenberg and Marta Dhanis contributed to this report.