Violent death on train in New York – millions in donation for suspect

Following the violent death of Jordan Neely, a homeless street performer in New York, an online fundraiser for the alleged perpetrator has already raised more than $1.1 million. The fundraiser, organized by his legal team, is intended to help cover the costs of the upcoming trial and possible civil lawsuits, the website said. By Saturday afternoon (local time), nearly 25,000 individual donations were listed there.

White Daniel P., 24, is accused of strangling 30-year-old black Neely on a subway train in early May until he passed out and later died in a hospital. On Friday, Daniel P. was charged with manslaughter. He is reportedly released on bail.

According to witnesses, Neely had complained loudly about hunger and thirst on the train before the incident, but apparently did not physically attack anyone. The legal team of former Navy member Daniel P. said their client risked his life to protect other people, according to CNN.

The crowdfunding website with the advertising slogan “The #1 Free Christian Fundraising Site” is a platform more commonly used by right-wing conservatives in the US. Earlier there were fundraisers for lawsuits related to the Capitol storm and for the defense of Kyle R. The then 17-year-old shot and killed two people in August 2020 during ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests in the US state of Wisconsin. His trial ended in an acquittal – the jury granted him self-defense.

The death of Neely, known to some on Broadway as a Michael Jackson impersonator, has sparked renewed debate about systemic racism in the United States. Observers are drawing parallels to the violent death of African-American George Floyd, who was killed by a white police officer in 2020. (sda/dpa)