New York City Mayor Eric Adams has spoken out in defense of Daniel Penny, a former Marine facing manslaughter charges for the death of Jordan Neely.
The jury began deliberations on Tuesday, and Adams seized the moment to criticize the media and highlight broader issues surrounding mental health and public safety.
In an interview with former gubernatorial candidate and radio host Rob Astorino, Adams expressed his support for Penny’s actions, emphasizing the challenging circumstances passengers faced during the incident.
“We’re now on the subway where we’re hearing someone talking about hurting people, killing people,” Adams said, according to The Daily Wire. “You have someone [Penny] on that subway who was responding, doing what we should have done as a city. Those passengers were afraid.”
Eyewitness accounts presented during the trial testified that Neely was threatening passengers on the train before Penny intervened, placing him in a chokehold to subdue him.
When police arrived, Penny released Neely, who was still alive and had a pulse at the time. However, officers reportedly refrained from attempting resuscitation due to concerns about contracting hepatitis. Witnesses noted Neely’s erratic behavior, describing how he made threats, soiled his pants, and caused women to shield their children.
Adams also used the opportunity to highlight systemic failures in addressing mental health, an issue he says underpins incidents like this one. “Then you look at the complete failure of our mental health system,” Adams stated.
“A complete failure from the days of closing psychiatric wards and having those who needed help just turned over into the street without giving any safety net to accept them.”
Adams has been vocal about New York City’s ongoing struggle with homelessness and mental illness, problems that have increasingly contributed to public safety concerns.
The mayor also took aim at how the media has portrayed Neely, who was a Michael Jackson impersonator but was reportedly dealing with severe mental health challenges at the time of the incident.
“Look at the photo that they used to show the victim,” Adams said. “It seemed like it was a young innocent child who was brutally murdered. It wanted to set up in the minds of people that we were dealing with a young innocent child.”
Adams’ remarks reflect a growing tension between public narratives surrounding Neely’s death and the reality of his erratic behavior on the subway that day.
Daniel Penny has been charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.
The case has sparked national debate, with some viewing Penny as a good Samaritan who acted to protect others in a dangerous situation and others arguing that his actions led to an avoidable tragedy.
Adams’ comments have added further weight to the discussion, as he calls for a balanced understanding of both the incident and the broader social challenges it underscores.
