Post by abbey1227 on May 15, 2023 8:18:56 GMT
The Root
Opinion
Jordan Neely's Death Isn't Just About Homelessness But How Easy It Is To Kill A Black Man And Get Away With It
Candace McDuffie Sun, May 14, 2023 at 12:24 PM CDT
Two days ago, Daniel Penny—the 24-year-old man who choked Jordan Neely to death May 1 on the New York City subway—was finally arraigned and criminally charged in a Manhattan court. He is facing a felony charge of second-degree manslaughter and could receive up to 15 years in prison. Neely, a homeless man who had a history of mental illness, cried out for food and shelter shortly before Penny approached him from behind.
“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,” Neely said, according to witnesses. He never assaulted or physically threatened anyone on the train before the incident. A bystander recorded the killing on his phone, in which the former U.S. Marine placed Neely in deadly chokehold for several minutes. Two other passengers helped Penny by restraining Neely’s arms. Police arrived on the scene and found the victim unconscious; Neely was pronounced dead shortly after.
Penny was questioned by authorities and released without any charges being filed. It was only after public outcry that criminal charges were finally brought against him. Neely’s death has triggered conversations about the lack of resources in New York for its homeless and mentally ill population, a point that Mayor Eric Adams was quick to emphasize in his address about Neely’s killing last week.
“It is time to build a new consensus around what can and must be done for those living with serious mental illness and to take meaningful action despite resistance and pushback from those who misconstrue our intentions,” Adams said. However, the focus on homelessness serves as a distraction from another real danger Black people face in this country: being killed by a white person for making them feel uneasy.
The extent of Neely’s mental wellness is still unknown, yet he has been painted as a menace to the same passengers who watched the life being choked out of him. Instead of helping Neely, they recorded him being killed and told various outlets how fearful they were by his presence. During Penny’s arraignment—in which he was released after posting $100,000 bail—Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass read from the bail application: “Several witnesses observed Mr. Neely making threats and scaring passengers.”
America has a history of rendering Black life worthless—Neely’s killing is yet another example of it. And since Black folks aren’t allow to be victims, their memories become smeared with racist shaming and stereotypes. Since Neely’s death, it has been written that the deceased was on New York’s “top 50" list of homeless people at risk. That he had a criminal history with more than 40 arrests. That a witness who watched Neely die thanked Penny for protecting the passengers on the train that day.
Opinion
Jordan Neely's Death Isn't Just About Homelessness But How Easy It Is To Kill A Black Man And Get Away With It
Candace McDuffie Sun, May 14, 2023 at 12:24 PM CDT
Two days ago, Daniel Penny—the 24-year-old man who choked Jordan Neely to death May 1 on the New York City subway—was finally arraigned and criminally charged in a Manhattan court. He is facing a felony charge of second-degree manslaughter and could receive up to 15 years in prison. Neely, a homeless man who had a history of mental illness, cried out for food and shelter shortly before Penny approached him from behind.
“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,” Neely said, according to witnesses. He never assaulted or physically threatened anyone on the train before the incident. A bystander recorded the killing on his phone, in which the former U.S. Marine placed Neely in deadly chokehold for several minutes. Two other passengers helped Penny by restraining Neely’s arms. Police arrived on the scene and found the victim unconscious; Neely was pronounced dead shortly after.
Penny was questioned by authorities and released without any charges being filed. It was only after public outcry that criminal charges were finally brought against him. Neely’s death has triggered conversations about the lack of resources in New York for its homeless and mentally ill population, a point that Mayor Eric Adams was quick to emphasize in his address about Neely’s killing last week.
“It is time to build a new consensus around what can and must be done for those living with serious mental illness and to take meaningful action despite resistance and pushback from those who misconstrue our intentions,” Adams said. However, the focus on homelessness serves as a distraction from another real danger Black people face in this country: being killed by a white person for making them feel uneasy.
The extent of Neely’s mental wellness is still unknown, yet he has been painted as a menace to the same passengers who watched the life being choked out of him. Instead of helping Neely, they recorded him being killed and told various outlets how fearful they were by his presence. During Penny’s arraignment—in which he was released after posting $100,000 bail—Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass read from the bail application: “Several witnesses observed Mr. Neely making threats and scaring passengers.”
America has a history of rendering Black life worthless—Neely’s killing is yet another example of it. And since Black folks aren’t allow to be victims, their memories become smeared with racist shaming and stereotypes. Since Neely’s death, it has been written that the deceased was on New York’s “top 50" list of homeless people at risk. That he had a criminal history with more than 40 arrests. That a witness who watched Neely die thanked Penny for protecting the passengers on the train that day.
What needs to be examined is how easy it is—and has always been—for a Black person to be killed in this country for no reason by culprits who will never face any accountability. Even if Penny goes to prison, that doesn’t undo the fact he took away a Black life because of how uncomfortable he felt. And only in America does that discomfort lead to him being labeled a hero (Penny’s defense fund has raised over $1 million). Sadly, Neely has joined a long list of Black lives lost because of how this country failed him—and all of its Black citizens—on a daily basis.
Those pesky comments:
13 hours ago
One as a writer should be able to differentiate when actions are due to behavior versus or other issues
14 hours ago
I get the feeling that most of the country is absolutely sick of race being brought into every discussion. This was about a man behaving in a threatening manner being handled by a fellow Samaritan. When every tragedy has race attached to it, credibility is lost and is no longer taken seriously.
11 hours ago
It's about citizens being sick and tired of being attacked physically and verbally while simply going about their own business. That's what it's about.
We refuse to believe this will be the new normal.
We need a HERO! NOT an excuse maker and protector!!!
Someone save America!
We're going down!
10 hours ago
I guess if they weren't repeatedly released back on to the streets things like this wouldn't occur.
10 hours ago
why must riding on the subway include a required exposure to threatening behavior? This guy Penny is an absolute hero having the training and sense of caring to shield his fellow passengers from an experience that was not bargained for when getting on the train!
10 hours ago
Sadly, HAD the judicial system done THEIR job...Daniel Penny would NOT have had to do it.
10 hours ago
No, it's about civilians having to take action to defend themselves and others because their government has failed them.
14 hours ago
Kind of hard to say he got away with it when he was arrested.
10 hours ago
Interesting how nobody cried for this guy when he was alive. Would the author kindly go to the subway and help out a homeless person?
13 hours ago
They put themselves in bad situations in the first place. First of all, don’t victimize innocent Americans and think you’re going to get away with it for being black. Don’t blame mental illness or homelessness for this career criminal’s death. He was at the subway station causing problems and threats, and the heroic marine eliminated the threat. So why is the media trying to make this career criminal a victim and demonize a Good Samaritan?
13 hours ago
Let's see. The dead person was a 40 time felon who was actively threatening a group of unarmed passengers on the subway. A marine stepped in and put a stop to it. Yeah, he definitely needs to be charged with something.
One as a writer should be able to differentiate when actions are due to behavior versus or other issues
14 hours ago
I get the feeling that most of the country is absolutely sick of race being brought into every discussion. This was about a man behaving in a threatening manner being handled by a fellow Samaritan. When every tragedy has race attached to it, credibility is lost and is no longer taken seriously.
11 hours ago
It's about citizens being sick and tired of being attacked physically and verbally while simply going about their own business. That's what it's about.
We refuse to believe this will be the new normal.
We need a HERO! NOT an excuse maker and protector!!!
Someone save America!
We're going down!
10 hours ago
I guess if they weren't repeatedly released back on to the streets things like this wouldn't occur.
10 hours ago
why must riding on the subway include a required exposure to threatening behavior? This guy Penny is an absolute hero having the training and sense of caring to shield his fellow passengers from an experience that was not bargained for when getting on the train!
10 hours ago
Sadly, HAD the judicial system done THEIR job...Daniel Penny would NOT have had to do it.
10 hours ago
No, it's about civilians having to take action to defend themselves and others because their government has failed them.
14 hours ago
Kind of hard to say he got away with it when he was arrested.
10 hours ago
Interesting how nobody cried for this guy when he was alive. Would the author kindly go to the subway and help out a homeless person?
13 hours ago
They put themselves in bad situations in the first place. First of all, don’t victimize innocent Americans and think you’re going to get away with it for being black. Don’t blame mental illness or homelessness for this career criminal’s death. He was at the subway station causing problems and threats, and the heroic marine eliminated the threat. So why is the media trying to make this career criminal a victim and demonize a Good Samaritan?
13 hours ago
Let's see. The dead person was a 40 time felon who was actively threatening a group of unarmed passengers on the subway. A marine stepped in and put a stop to it. Yeah, he definitely needs to be charged with something.
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