Christopher Neely, 44, was arrested late Monday night after fleeing a police pickpocket team who confronted him at the Port Authority bus terminal in Manhattan, police sources said
Jordan Neely’s uncle fled police and was arrested Monday after being caught with multiple allegedly stolen credit cards. A day after he spoke out against the ex-Marine accused of putting his nephew in a deadly stranglehold, can exclusively reveal.
Christopher Neely was arrested late Monday night after fleeing a police pickpocket team who confronted him at the Port Authority bus terminal in Manhattan, police sources said.
When approached, he was wanted for a series of robberies in Manhattan. After police caught up with him, several credit and debit cards were found on Neely’s with other people’s names on them, including at least one that was reportedly stolen in a previous pickpocket. According to sources, he was also carrying a gravity knife.
After his arrest, he admitted to officers that he was the uncle of Jordan Neely, the homeless street performer who died May 1 after a fatal encounter on a lower Manhattan subway.
Police charged Neely with criminal possession of stolen property, resisting arrest, failing bail and unlawfully possessing a weapon. He was first taken to the 14th police station.
Christopher Neely, 44, has a criminal record with over 70 prior arrests and had two active warrants out for his arrest at the time of his arrest Monday.
Daniel Penny, 24, has been charged with manslaughter in connection with Neely’s death. He was charged after protests called for his arrest.
On Sunday, Christopher Neely stated that Penny shouldn’t get a plea deal or “he’ll do it again.”
Police charged Neely – Jordan Neely’s uncle – with criminal possession of stolen property, resisting arrest, leaving bail and unlawful possession of a weapon
24-year-old Daniel Penny faces 15 years in prison for putting a fatal chokehold on 30-year-old Jordan Neely. This comes a day after Christopher said Daniel Penny might kill another young man on the tube if he got a deal
Neely also called for the two men seen helping Daniel Penny to hold Neely during the fatal May Day encounter on the F train to be prosecuted.
“He needs to be prosecuted or he’s going to do it again,” Christopher told the New York Post.
“It’s a slap in the face to Jordan’s family and the people of New York,” he said.
Penny broke his silence on Saturday, saying Neely’s death had nothing to do with race, claiming he did what he thought was right and would do the same if faced with the same situation again .
Neely’s uncle said Penny should not be offered a settlement by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which charged him with second-degree manslaughter for the on-camera incident
“I want it to go to court,” Christopher said. “He has too much confidence and you have to teach him what he did wrong.”
Penny had said, ‘I judge a person by their character.’ I’m not a white supremacist.’
On May 1st, Penny put Neely in a deadly chokehold on a New York City subway. Neely had threatened passengers
Penny, 24, turned himself in after prosecutors announced he would be charged with second-degree manslaughter. He recently said, “It’s tragic what happened.” [Neely]’ but would behave the same way in a similar situation
The now infamous video showed Penny holding Neely with the help of two other passengers after the homeless Michael Jackson impersonator reportedly shouted threats and intimidated people on the train.
The other passengers who helped keep Neely on the train have not been publicly identified and police are looking for them for questioning.
Neely’s funeral was held in Harlem on Friday, where Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a fiery eulogy to hundreds of people, saying, “As they choked Jordan, they put their arms around us all.”
But Penny, who is currently out on $100,000 bail, dismissed claims that his fatal confrontation with Neely was an act of hate or discrimination, saying: “It has nothing to do with race .”
“I mean, it’s a little weird.” “Anyone who’s ever met me can tell you, I love all people, I love all cultures,” Penny told the Post.
“You can see that in my past and all my travels and adventures around the world.” Before that happened, I was actually planning a road trip through Africa.
“I’m a regular guy,” Penny added, stressing that he’s not a vigilante.
Pallbearers carry Jordan Neely’s coffin days before his uncle said Penny shouldn’t get a deal in the case
Penny, who hails from Long Island, faces 15 years in prison in a case that is deeply polarizing: conservative politicians are stepping in to defend him and prominent liberals are calling for his murder conviction and jail time.
He said he doesn’t watch the news and while he’s aware of negative opinions about him, he’s tried not to let it affect him.
“When you face all these challenges, you have to keep calm,” he said.
“What’s the point of worrying about something? Worrying will not make your problems go away.”
“I credit my father and grandfather for that. You are very, very stoic.’
Penny also said he gave up social media years ago.
“I don’t follow anyone or have social media because I really don’t like the attention and I just think there are better ways to spend my time.” “I don’t like the limelight,” he said.