Ex-Marine who put man in fatal chokehold becomes darling of the right

A former Marine who was caught on video putting a man in a fatal chokehold on a New York subway has become a darling of the right.

Daniel Perry is still awaiting a decision by the Manhattan DA’s office as to whether he’ll be charged with the death of Jordan Neely.

But he already has a chorus of vocal conservative defenders on social media and a fundraising campaign has begun on his behalf on GiveSendGo, which calls itself the “#1 Free Christian Fundraising Site.”

Right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk used his social accounts to promote the fundraising effort and tweeted, “BREAKING: Full footage reveals ex-Marine Daniel Penny putting Jordan Neely in ‘recovery position,’ passengers complimenting him.”

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Ex-Trump attorney Jenna Ellis joined numerous right-wing influencers online to support Penny. Ellis linked to a conservative media article defending him with the comment, “Even more evidence exonerating Daniel Penny.”

The right-wing One America News Network posted on Truth Social, “A decorated Marine drew the ire of social justice protesters for what many are considering a good Samaritan Act on a New York subway. Do you think Daniel Penny should be prosecuted or honored?”

Neely, a 30-year-old Black man and a Michael Jackson impersonator who was homeless, was choked to death May 1 on the subway by Penny, whose lawyers claim he was defending himself and other passengers after Neely, who has a history of violence, began acting aggressively and in a threatening manner.

The New York medical examiner described Neely’s death as a homicide, but the Manhattan DA has not decided whether to press charges against Perry, 24.

Neely’s death has been the subject of daily protests and activists have joined his family in calling for the prosecution of Perry.

Activist Al Sharpton wondered why Perry wasn’t arrested after police questioned him, CBS News reported.

"I'm looking at the video. You got one man choking and the other holding him down. They all need to be in front of a grand jury," Sharpton said. "This man had a mental issue and the way you handle that is not to put him in a chokehold and squeeze the life out of him.”