Daniel Penny: Victim's Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit, 'Your Action Resulted in the Death of Jordan Neely'
Jordan Neely's family is preparing to file a wrongful-death lawsuit against Daniel Penny, the "subway vigilante" currently facing a manslaughter charge for his involvement in Neely's death, RadarOnline.com has learned.
On May 1, video evidence of the incident went viral, shocking the public and sparking debate on various issues such as race, mental illness and the responsibility of bystanders.
According to the letter sent to Penny’s attorneys this week, the family of the late 30-year-old homeless man has retained the services of the Manhattan law firm of Mills & Edwards to pursue a civil action against the 24-year-old former Marine.
The late Michael Jackson impersonator's aunt, Carolyn Neely, who represents Jordan's estate, has hired the Manhattan law firm of Mills & Edwards to file a civil action against Penny.
The message read: "Please be advised that this office has been retained ... to pursue a claim for personal injuries and wrongful death ... Your action resulted in the death of Jordan Neely."
As RadarOnline recently reported, a campaign to fund Penny's legal expenses surpassed $2.8 million earlier this month. The former Marine's lawyers launched the GiveSendGo campaign at Raiser & Kenniff, P.C., and reads, "Daniel Penny is a twenty-four-year-old college student and decorated Marine veteran, facing a criminal investigation stemming from him protecting individuals on an NYC subway train from an assailant who later died."
It continued stating that "funds are being raised to pay Mr. Penny's legal fees incurred from any criminal charges filed and any future civil lawsuits that may arise, as well as expenses related to his defense."
Penny turned himself over to the police but was released on $100,000 bail the same day.
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According to witness accounts, Neely acted erratically on the New York subway that day and allegedly threatened other passengers before Penny stepped in to restrain him.
It turned out Neely had a history of mental illness and several prior arrests on his record. Although many of Penny's critics point out that the ex-Marine wasn't aware of Neely's history when he choked him out for several minutes, ultimately leading to the 30-year-old's death.
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Penny told The Post, "I'm deeply saddened by the loss of life."
"It's tragic what happened to him [Neely]. Hopefully, we can change the system that's so desperately failed us."
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