NYC Mayor Eric Adams defends Daniel Penny in Jordan Neely death, criticizes media coverage.

The mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, defended the Marine veteran accused of killing a homeless man with a criminal history who threatened to die in a subway car.

Daniel Penny, 26, could receive a prison sentence of up to 15 years if found guilty of manslaughter in the May 2023 death. Additionally, he is accused of criminally negligent homicide.

Jurors began deliberations on Tuesday following a trial.

At the time of his death, Neely, a 30-year-old man with a criminal history, a mental illness, and an active arrest warrant, entered the train and threatened to die, stating that he was not afraid to return to jail or spend the rest of his life in prison.

Neely was grabbed from behind in a headlock by Penny, who wrestled him to the ground with the help of another passenger. He remained at the scene and spoke with police voluntarily. Unfortunately, Neely eventually died.

"On the subway, someone is discussing harming and killing people, and Penny is responding, as we should have done as a city," Adams stated on the Nov. 30 episode of "The Rob Astorino Show."

"Those passengers were afraid," the mayor added.

During his closing argument, Steven Raiser, Penny's defense attorney, informed jurors that Penny repeatedly relaxed when Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator, ceased struggling and only squeezed to keep him down when he attempted to break free.

"Danny was there, but the government and police were not. When Danny needed help, no one was there. Now the government is blaming Danny for the police's absence. Is it Danny's fault for holding on when the police weren't there?"

Dafna Yoran, a Manhattan prosecutor, argued that Penny did not recognize Jordan Neely as a person and instead viewed him as someone who needed to be eliminated.

Adams also criticized the city's mental health system.

"Our mental health system has been a complete failure since the days of closing psychiatric wards and leaving those in need without any support or safety net."

The chokehold was determined to be the cause of Neely's death, which was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation by the City Medical Examiner's Office.

In 2021, Neely, who had a history of attacks on subway riders and other criminal behavior, socked a 67-year-old woman as she exited the Bowery station in the East Village in Lower Manhattan.

In the time frame of January 2020 to August 2021, he was arrested three times for public lewdness, misdemeanor assault, and criminal contempt. All three cases were dismissed as part of his Feb. 9 plea deal.

During the discussion, Adams criticized the media's use of a photo of Neely.

"The photo portrayed a young innocent child who was brutally murdered, giving the impression that we were dealing with a young innocent child. However, upon closer inspection, it was revealed that the child was actually a Michael Jackson imitator who was brutally assaulted."

Planet Chronicle Digital's Michael Ruiz and Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report.