Protesters in New York City took to the subway on Wednesday, and demanded answers after the death of a subway rider who was put in a chokehold by another passenger.
The City’s Medical Examiner’s office ruled Jordan Neely’s death a homicide from compression of the neck, but so far no charges have been filed and the outrage is growing.
“Jordan Neely was murdered,” Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Wednesday. “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.”
Witnesses told police, Neely, 30, a subway performer and homeless man, was acting erratically on Monday, when he was restrained by other riders, including a U.S. Marine veteran who wrapped his arm around Neely’s neck, forming a chokehold.
Neely lost consciousness and died later at the hospital.
So far, the former marine has not been charged.
“Let’s let the DA conduct his investigation with the law enforcement officials,” Mayor Eric Adams said. “To really interfere with that is not the right thing to do and I’m going to be responsible, allow them to do their job, and allow them to determine exactly what happened here.”