Mayor Eric Adams is focusing on mental health in the wake of the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely, saying the failed a homeless man with severe mental illness who did not deserve to die. Now the mayor wants to take steps to try to prevent anything similar from happening again. NBC New York’s Myles Miller reports.
What to Know
- 30-year-old Jordan Neely died on a train at the Broadway-Lafayette station in Manhattan on May 1 after allegedly threatening passengers and being put into a chokehold by a rider; that rider, identified as 24-year-old Daniel Penny, was questioned by the NYPD and later released from custody
- The medical examiner's office ruled Neely's death a homicide the next day, which incited a debate around whether the rider's actions were justified defense or vigilantism; the Manhattan district attorney's office has said it is looking into the case
- Multiple protests have taken place in Manhattan since Neely's death and dozens arrested; Mayor Eric Adams made his most substantial public remarks in a brief press conference Wednesday
The subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely in Manhattan has stoked national controversy, and Mayor Eric Adams, who had been accused by some of not weighing in substantially enough, formally addressed it publicly in his most extensive and substantive comments yet.
The Democrat, who responded to a smattering of questions about Neely's death in the immediate aftermath, made his position clear in his under-15-minute speech Wednesday, saying the 30-year-old didn't deserve to die. Adams acknowledged Neely's history of mental illness, which he had done publicly before, and the race factor, which he had not.
"One of our own is dead," Adams said, empathizing with the emotional intensity coursing through the city over the case. "A Black man, Black like me -- a man named Jordan, the name I gave my son, a New Yorker who struggled with tragedy, trauma and mental illness, a man whose last words were to cry for help, a man named Jordan Neely."
Neely, 30, died on the floor of an F train car after being put in a chokehold at the Broadway-Lafayette station May 1. It was the middle of the afternoon, and came after Neely yelled that he was tired, hungry and didn't care if he went to jail or died. The NYPD questioned Daniel Penny, the 24-year-old ex-Marine seen on video with his hands around Neely's neck, in the hours afterward, then released him from custody without filing charges.
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The next day, the medical examiner's office ruled the case a homicide, igniting a firestorm around Penny, who was declared a murderer by some who had hailed him as a good Samaritan for his actions less than 24 hours prior.
Adams said Neely's death has "devastated his family and shocked his fellow New Yorkers," but he appeared careful not to wade too much into some of the divisive discourse that has resulted, and pushed back against calls for those responsible to be arrested. The investigation is ongoing.
"While we have no control over that process, one thing we can control is how our city responds to this tragedy. One thing we can say for sure: Jordan Neely did not deserve to die," the mayor said, nine days after the subway death. "All of us must work together to do more to help our brothers and sisters struggling with serious mental illness."
"There were many people who tried to help Jordan get the support he needed, but the tragic reality of severe mental illness is that some who suffer from it are at times unaware of their own need for care," Adams continued. "And all too often, they're caught up in this cycle of violence, sometimes as perpetrators, or far more often as victims -- and in many cases, through no fault of their own, they resist treatment, walk away from a chance for recovery and disappear into the shadows."
Indeed. Neely's arrest record -- a lengthy criminal sheet with charges including criminal trespassing, disorderly conduct and assault, including within the city's transit system -- has been called out by people who believe Penny was justified in using the maneuver. They say it was done to subdue a man they allege posed a potential threat to the public.
Witnesses and sources had alleged Neely was acting aggressively on the train up until that point. Riders allegedly Neely said he was hungry, thirsty and didn't care about going to jail. They also said he didn't physically attack anyone before being put in the chokehold. Penny's legal team submits that may be because of their client's actions, citing Neely's record. His attorneys also said late last week he never intended for Neely to die and couldn't have foreseen it.
Neely's family called that an "admission of guilt" -- and said the system failed him.
A New Battle Plan for Mental Illness
Adams on Wednesday agreed the system needs to change.
"It is the nature of this cruel disease, and it breaks our hearts every time," Adams said of mental illness. "We cannot and will not accept this state of affairs. We will not walk by those or step over those who are suffering or ignore those calls for help. We will respond with care, compassion and action. We can and must do everything possible to help."
In previous remarks, Adams had said the incident underscores what he says is a need to remove people with mental illness from the transit system — a push he began with Democratic colleague Gov. Kathy Hochul in the early days of his administration. He referenced those early efforts and conversations again on Wednesday -- and declared it "time to build a new consensus around what can and must be done for those living with serious mental illness."
"Our vision is to create a better system that goes beyond one incident or tragedy," Adams explained.
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He said renewed focus must be on "the continuum of care that keeps people connected to the support they need to stay well" and doing what can be done to get people help before they get into crisis as he says Neely did. Speaking about Neely's life prior to Monday's incident, Adams said he had interacted with many city agencies and community-based organizations and providers. He also acknowledged his encounters with the criminal justice system, and said the young man received services intended to help him live safely in the community.
"Those efforts were not enough," Adams said. "And we must find ways to strengthen our system."
The mayor pledged to bring leaders from five organizations the city contracts for homeless outreach together next week for a summit on improving outcomes for people with serious mental illness. He vowed to develop an action plan -- one that he says will also ensure accountability when there are missed opportunities to help people in crisis.
"All of us will sit down at City Hall to develop an action plan to ensure accountability when there are missed opportunities to get those in crisis the help they need," said Adams.
The Democrat was also expected to meet with faith leaders on the matter later Wednesday.
Some criticized how the city and the Adams administration have handled mental illness.
"Hospitalization is a tactic, it’s not a plan. Jordan had been in the hospital. If you play someone in the hospital, when they're released with no continuum of care, it doesn’t really help," said NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
What Happens Next?
Adams' remarks came a day after the White House released its first statement on the case ahead of the president's fundraising trip to New York. A Biden spokesperson called Neely's death "tragic and deeply disturbing."
The Manhattan district attorney's office has mostly been tight-lipped about the case, but has said it has seasoned, experienced prosecutors looking into the case. Two sources familiar with the matter say Alvin Bragg won't make a decision on whether or when to protest a possible case until later this week.
"I think sometimes people peer into the silence and look at that as if the office isn't doing anything right...It's quite the contrary," said DA Bragg.
NYC Comptroller Brad Lander called for charges to be filed, saying "we can't be a city where you could choke someone to death who's experiencing a mental health crisis without any consequence."
In the meantime, dozens have been arrested in seemingly escalating protests as the city awaits the DA's decision. A Molotov cocktail was seized at Monday night's protest, the latest in a series of demonstrations that saw mass transit disrupted over the weekend. While affirming the right to peaceful protest, top NYPD officials issued a stern warning.
"We understand why people want to elevate their voices and protest. And we support that people have a right to speak up when they believe an injustice occurs. But we cannot have people coming out to protest bringing dangerous substances like this," Maddrey said of the firebomb. "We just really ask our communities, or people who want to come out and elevate their voices, not to engage in that kind of behavior. They could hurt themselves. They can hurt members of the department, co-protesters and innocent people. And it's going to really defeat the purpose."
That weapon, in particular, evoked memories of the 2020 George Floyd summer protests that saw flaming bottles thrown at the windows of NYPD cruisers, hundreds arrested and dozens of NYPD officers cited for misconduct.
Adams has seemed to suggest that any unrest was the fault of the protesters, and pointed the finger at "agitators from outside our city," which was the case, officials have said, in the summer of 2020 after Floyd died.
