The murder of a homeless Black subway rider in New York City on Monday was judged a homicide by a 24-year-old former US Marine, the city’s medical examiner announced on Wednesday evening.
Jordan Neely, the guy who died, was homeless and screaming at passengers when another rider, the ex-marine, threw his arms around Neely’s neck and head and held him for many minutes until he became limp.
According to media sources, Neely died due to the chokehold, which Julie Bolcer, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner, confirmed.
“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,” the district attorney’s spokesman said in a statement, as reported by media.
Neely, a 30-year-old homeless man, used to make a fortune as a proficient Michael Jackson impersonator who performed in Times Square.
According to authorities, the individual had a documented history of mental health concerns and had previously been arrested for many charges including violence and disorderly conduct.
Juan Alberto Vazquez, the reporter who captured the incident, told the New York Post.
According to Vazquez, the 24-year-old metro rider approached Neely after he flung his jacket on the ground. The footage begins with Neely on the subway vehicle floor, with the man’s left arm around his neck. A second man then grabs his arms, while a third grabs his shoulder. Neely eventually goes limp after briefly attempting to free himself.
The Guardian said “…Neely’s de@th, and the response to it, threatens to become a flash-point highlighting what some say is a semi-sanctioned vigilante response to homelessness and the mental health crisis, with others defending the actions of the Marine who had asked fellow passengers to call 911.”
According to Christopher Fee, an English professor at Gettysburg College who teaches on homelessness, Neely’s murder highlights how people react to the behaviors of the “poor, the unhoused, and most especially those perceived to be suffering from mental illness.” “Those bystanders may have felt threatened by the victim, but he did not attack them.” “They still watched him die,” Fee added.
Meanwhile, Neely’s father, Andre Zachery, told Daily News that Neely’s mother Christie was reportedly killed by her boyfriend. “His mom died she got killed too. And now him?! She got killed [by] her boyfriend. And now him? By somebody else? I don’t know what to say,” Zachery said.
Christie Neely, 36, was discovered stuffed dead in a suitcase on the side of a highway in the Bronx in 2007, as per the Daily News. The report also quotes Neely’s aunt Carolyn, who describes how her sister’s death impacted her nephew “It had a big impact on him. He developed depression and it grew and became more serious. He was schizophrenic, PTSD. Doctors knew his condition and he needed to be treated for that,” Carolyn Neely said.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York tweeted saying “Neely was murdered”. She further wrote: “But bc Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges.”
Jordan Neely was murdered.
But bc Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges.
It’s disgusting. https://t.co/YJeQp9bbgE
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 3, 2023
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