New York.- Members of the New York City Council and activists demanded today that charges be brought against Daniel Penny, a former US Marine who killed Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old black homeless man with mental problems, in a subway car.
The councilors, members of the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus joined in a press conference near the city hall in which there was no shortage of tears for a death that they assured “could be prevented” since it was on a special watch list of 50 people with high-risk mental health problems.
“The system never gave him what he needed,” said Oswaldo Feliz, of Dominican origin, and recalled that New Yorkers encounter similar situations every day.
He also told EFE that the Council plans to discuss precisely how the system has failed and hopes that at the end of the discussion of the next city budget, of 106,000 million, there will be an increase in funds for mental health and housing programs.
“No person should die because they are thirsty or hungry,” said Councilor Nantasha Williams, referring to the words Jordan shouted in the carriage that May 1, shortly before Penny knocked him down and applied a chokehold for long minutes. if nobody did anything for the homeless man, known for performing in the streets and subways imitating Michael Jackson.
Penny was interviewed by police and released while prosecutors have said they are continuing to investigate the death, sparking protests in the city.
“Jordan is an example of how this country, this state, this city continues today. Black lives don’t matter. We don’t spend resources, time and attention to make sure you can have a prosperous life. We systematically marginalize them and create the conditions for them to be on a train screaming ‘I don’t care if I die,’” Williams added.
TIt also indicated that the homeless are eleven times more likely to be victims of violence and that 90% of them identify themselves as black and Latino, undocumented, poor and disabled.
While local lawmaker Chi Ossé claimed that “none of us should be here calling for justice for Jordan” if he had been given the help he needed. “There are a lot of Jordans on our streets and we should connect them with services.”
“For years and years and years, (Jordan) was asking for help. And instead, he found himself strangled for 15 minutes. We call that murder. The system that has allowed that to happen still exists», he affirmed.
Councilwoman Althea Stevens was emphatic in stating that Neely’s death “was not a homicide” but was “a public lynching”, referring to the people who helped Penny by holding Jordan down, those who watched idly and those who limited themselves to recording the event with their phone.
There was also criticism of Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer. “Any time we want to allocate funds to change lives, the answer is no” while increasing funding for the police, Councilwoman Pierina Sánchez said.
The councilors called on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to bring Penny to justice to answer for Neely’s death. EFE
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