Daniel Penny arrives in Manhattan court as subway chokehold trial kicks off with opening statements

Daniel Penny returned to a Manhattan courthouse this greeting for opening statements successful his manslaughter trial for the decease of Jordan Neely, an erratic stateless antheral helium placed successful a chokehold during an outburst connected the subway.

Outside, protesters held signs and a megaphone and blasted Penny's actions arsenic "illegal," though his defence has argued his actions were wholly justified nether the instrumentality due to the fact that of threats Neely shouted retired large connected the subway car.

Video of the incidental shows different passengers helped Penny restrain Neely, who aboriginal died. The proceedings kicks disconnected aft much than a week of assemblage selection.

PROTESTERS ACCUSE MARINE VET OF WHITE SUPREMACY AS JURY SELECTION BEGINS IN SUBWAY VIGILANTE CASE

Daniel Penny arrives for opening arguments successful his proceedings astatine Manhattan Criminal Court successful New York City connected November 1, 2024. Penny, a Marine veteran, is charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide successful the 2023 decease of Jordan Neely connected a New York City subway train. (Adam Gray for Fox News Digital)

Penny remained astatine the country until police arrived. Neely was inactive breathing erstwhile helium fto him go.

There were women and children connected the train, and Penny told detectives helium perceived a threat, according to grounds from pretrial hearings.

When Neely walked into him, helium said, helium enactment him successful a chokehold.

"I'm not trying to termination the guy," helium told detectives. "I'm conscionable trying to de-escalate the situation."

Screenshot from bystander video showing Jordan Neely being held successful a chokehold connected the New York City subway.  (Luces de Nueva York/Juan Alberto Vazquez via Storyful)

VETERAN IN SUBWAY VIGILANTE CASE WASN'T TOLD HE KILLED MAN THREATENING PASSENGERS DURING INTERROGATION

Penny is simply a 25-year-old Marine Corps seasoned and assemblage student.

Neely was a 30-year-old stateless antheral and erstwhile Michael Jackson impersonator with a past of intelligence unwellness and criminality, including a anterior complaint for assaulting a 67-year-old New York City pistillate successful 2021.

This undated photo, provided by Mills and Edwards, LLP, successful New York, Friday, May 12, 2023, shows Jordan Neely, left, with Carolyn Neely, an aunt. Daniel Penny, 24, a U.S. Marine seasoned who utilized a fatal chokehold connected agitated New York City subway rider Jordan Neely, was freed from custody hours aft surrendering to look a manslaughter complaint filed astir 2 weeks aft the encounter.  (Courtesy Mills & Edwards, LLP via AP)

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Penny faces up to 19 years successful situation if convicted.