Jordan Neely, man in chokehold death, 'wanted to be something,' Rev. Al Sharpton says at funeral

Jordan Neely was remembered Friday as a beloved subway performer — at a funeral in Harlem 18 days after he died when a Marine veteran originally from West Islip put him in a chokehold aboard a subway train.

"One of Jordan's biggest passions was to dance and entertain," said his great-aunt Mildred Mahazu, reading from the funeral program at the pulpit of Mount Neboh Baptist Church. "He performed in front of thousands of people in the streets of New York City and on the subways, where he was well-known and loved."

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who delivered Neely's eulogy, vowed to make the death a catalyst for change in how the city handles homelessness and mental illness. 

"We keep criminalizing people with mental illness. … they don’t need abuse, they need help,” said Sharpton. "Despite whatever mental challenges he may have had, he wanted to be something. He didn’t want to be a drug dealer, he wanted to be Michael Jackson … you didn't have the right to snatch the life out of this young man."

The 30-year-old former Michael Jackson impersonator, who officials have said was homeless and mentally ill, had reportedly yelled about being hungry and thirsty and had made threatening statements toward passengers aboard an F train in lower Manhattan. That's when the veteran, 24-year-old Daniel Penny, grabbed Neely, took him down and placed him in the chokehold at about 2:30 p.m. on May 1, according to a prosecutor and witnesses. Penny was later charged with second-degree manslaughter. 

A fellow passenger recorded several minutes of the chokehold on a cellphone video that quickly went viral: Neely is seen thrashing as Penny holds his neck in the crook of his arm and two other passengers restrain his limbs. At some point, Neely stops moving, but Penny keeps him in the chokehold for some time.

The city medical examiner ruled Neely’s death a homicide, saying he died of asphyxiation as a result of the chokehold — a finding that doesn't necessarily suggest criminality but means that the death was caused by the actions of another person. 

Penny's lawyers have said that Neely’s death was an unforeseen tragedy and that their client stepped in to protect himself and other passengers. Neely was unarmed. No one else has been charged in Neely's death. 

A funeral program eulogized "Jordan Maurice Caine Neely," born on Dec. 18, 1992, to mother Christy Neely and father Andre Zachery in New York City, as a passionate dancer and singer who idolized Michael Jackson.

He shared "an unbreakable bond" with his mother, who he lived with primarily, but suffered an enormous blow when his mother died when he was just 13 years old, according to the program. Neely attended Bayonne High School where, he played basketball and soccer. 

"He was greatly influenced by pop star Michael Jackson who he started idolizing from the age of 7," the program said. "Over time he began to perfect [Jackson's] dance moves and by the time he turned 18 he was on his own making a living as a Michael Jackson impersonator."

Sharpton, relaying a conversation he had with Neely's father, said "he wasn't homeless; he was houseless," in explaining that Neely dropped into relatives' homes to visit and eat. 

Neely’s death sparked outrage from some, including elected officials, and demonstrators protested when Penny was not immediately charged. A fundraiser to pay for Penny’s legal defense has topped more than $2 million.

"A good Samaritan helps those in trouble, they don't choke them out!" Sharpton said to cheers. "What happened to Jordan was a crime." 

Sharpton, whose remarks ended with audience chants of "No justice! No peace!" said Neely had been "choked" his entire adult life by a city that failed to effectively assist with treatment and other care for his mental health issues.

"The agencies that failed to keep him and give him his mental health, choked Jordan … The city agencies choked Jordan. He’s been choked most of his adult life," Sharpton said. "He’s an example of how you're choking the homeless, you’re choking the mentally ill … we’ve come to say, 'this choking gotta stop.'”

Standing before Neely's casket, Sharpton spoke as if addressing Neely, to roaring applause: "In your name, we gonna change how they deal with the homeless. In your name, we gonna change how they deal with the mentally ill. In your name, we gonna change services in this city.”

Among the elected officials in attendance were Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. New York City Mayor Eric Adams did not attend. 

Funeral officiant Johnnie Green, the church’s senior pastor, also presided over the funeral in 2007 for Neely’s mother, who was murdered in the family home, stuffed in a suitcase and left on the Henry Hudson Parkway. 

"He never been the same," Sharpton said of Neely and the impact of his mother's death. "Jordan was not annoying someone on the train. Jordan was screaming for help." 

According to the funeral program, his survivors include his father, Andre D. Zachery, grandparents, Clarence and Clara Neely, aunts, Carolyn Neely, Taliah Neely, Canada Neely, and Elleree McCombs, uncles, Christopher Neely, Clarence Neely Jr., Allen Zachery and Julius Zachery, great aunt, Mildred Mahazu, and a host of other relatives and friends. 

Fellow subway performer Tyron Milson, 36, of Washington Heights, wept after attending Neely's wake. Milson, who said he knew Milson from performing on the subway, breakdanced outside after the funeral to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" while wearing a hooded sweatshirt decorated with Neely's photos. Milson said he doesn't believe that Neely had reportedly made threats, as a prosecutor said at Penny's arraignment.

Nearby, as Neely's casket was carried out of the church by pallbearers, a man played Jackson hit "Billie Jean" on an electric piano.