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EXCLUSIVE: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis political team hit back Friday night after Al Sharpton criticized the 2024 presidential hopeful during a eulogy for a man who died in the New York City subway system.

New York authorities said Jordan Neely,30, died on May 1 from compression of the neck after he was placed in a chokehold by Daniel Penny, a 24-year-old Marine veteran, who is charged with one count of second-degree manslaughter.

DeSantis, also a veteran, praised Penny on Tuesday for taking action to protect others, saying, "I think to be able to step in as a good Samaritan and protect people I think that thats something that was the right thing to do. And I dont think he should be prosecuted."

Sharpton gave a eulogy for Neely at Harlems Mount Neboh Baptist Church Friday morning, slamming DeSantis for his comments.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Al Sharpton (Fox News)

NEW YORK DEMS TURN ON EACH OTHER HOMELESS MAN'S SUBWAY DEATH: JORDAN NEELY WAS LYNCHED

"I know, Governor DeSantis, that you're putting black history and LGBTQ and Latino out of the school, but I have a Bible to put in the governor's office," Sharpton said. "Because apparently, you don't know what the Good Samaritan was. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samritan."

DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin slammed Sharpton for using his eulogy to attack the governor.

"Democrats never miss an opportunity to take a political jab and try to further divide our country even at a funeral," Griffin told Fox News Digital. "Save your breath, Rev. Sharpton. These attacks simply don't work on Governor DeSantis. He is not afraid to speak the truth."

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks after signing three education bills on the campus of New College of Florida in Sarasota, Fla. on Monday, May 15, 2023. (Thomas Simonetti for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

President Joe Biden prepares to walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., Sunday, March 5, 2023, to commemorate the 58th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," a landmark event of the civil rights movement. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

JORDAN NEELY DEATH: AL SHARPTON SAYS THEY PUT THEIR ARMS AROUND ALL OF US IN FUNERAL SPEECH

Sharpton said during Neely's funeral that "they put their arms around all of us."

"We're not in here because of natural causes, we're here because of unnatural policies," Sharpton said.

Fox News' Adam Sabes contributed to this report.

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DeSantis team fires back after Sharpton slams GOP governor at Neely funeral - Fox News

Jordan Neely

Veteran civil rights activist says what happened to Jordan was a crime as mourners gather to remember man, 30, killed on subway

Guardian staff and agency

Fri 19 May 2023 14.04 EDT

Jordan Neely was screaming for help, the Rev Al Sharpton told friends, family members and civil rights leaders gathered to mourn the former Michael Jackson impersonator who died on the New York subway system.

Neely, who had been struggling with mental illness and lacking housing in recent years, was killed when passengers restrained him. A fellow subway rider pinned him to the floor of a subway car in a chokehold that lasted several minutes, and Neelys death has set off a fresh debate about vigilantism, homelessness, racism and public safety in the city.

At the funeral at a Harlem church on Friday, Sharpton railed against vigilantism and called for more support for the mans family.

What happened to Jordan was a crime, and this family shouldnt have to stand by themselves, the New York politician and civil rights activist said at the service, which was attended by officials including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The fatal struggle was recorded on video by an onlooker who said 30-year-old Neely, who was Black, had been yelling on the subway train as he begged for money but had not attacked anyone.

Last week the man who pinned and choked Neely, Daniel Penny, who is white and a military veteran, was charged with manslaughter by the Manhattan district attorney. Pennys lawyers say he was acting to protect himself and other passengers after Neely made threatening statements.

Penny, 24, kept Neely in a chokehold long after Neely stopped moving and at least one rider implored him to release the man. Police officials found Neely unconscious, and he was pronounced dead at hospital. The citys medical examiner deemed Neelys death a homicide.

On Friday morning in Harlem, the majority Black neighborhood steeped in civil rights history, Sharpton told mourners Neelys life should be celebrated but we should not ignore how he died.

Sharpton, who delivered the eulogy at Harlems Mount Neboh Baptist church, said Neely died not because of natural causes but because of unnatural policies.

Neelys killing and Pennys subsequent arrest and arraignment in court, which did not take place until almost two weeks after Neely died, polarized New Yorkers and people beyond.

Many said Penny was quick to use unjustified deadly force on a Black man who posed no real threat. There were demonstrations in the subway and on the streets of New York in the days after Neely was killed.

Others argue that Penny was trying to protect people on the train and shouldnt be punished, with these arguments part of a growing right-leaning trend to loudly defend and even champion Penny.

Sharpton noted that Floridas Republican governor Ron DeSantis, expected to run for the White House, called Penny a good Samaritan last week and that he shared a fundraising link for Pennys legal defense.

Sharpton said the parable of the good Samaritan is about coming to the aid of someone in need.

A good Samaritan helps those in trouble, Sharpton said. They dont choke him out.

While Neely had a history of disruptive behavior, friends said they dont believe he would have harmed anyone if Penny had let him be.

People keep criminalizing people that need help, Sharpton said. They dont need abuse, they need help.

Local elected officials including congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the New York lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, were among the hundreds attending the funeral, which was at the same church where the funeral for Neelys mother, Christie Neely, was held after she was murdered when Jordan was 14.

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Jordan Neely was screaming for help, Al Sharpton says in funeral eulogy - The Guardian US

Rev. Al Sharpton said during the funeral of Jordan Neely that "they put their arms around all of us" when Marine veteran Daniel Penny fatally choked a homeless man on a New York City train on May 1.

Penny, 24, is being charged on one count of second-degree manslaughter for allegedly choking Neely, 30, to death. Prosecutors say that Neely was "making threats and scaring passengers."

At Neely's funeral service on Friday, Sharpton told attendees that "when they choked Jordan, they put their arms around all of us," according to the New York Post.

"All of us have the right to live," Sharpton said.

NYC MARINE VETERAN CHARGED IN DEATH OF MAN 'MAKING THREATS AND SCARING PASSENGERS': PROSECUTORS

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - MAY 19: The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks during the funeral of Jordan Neely at Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem, New York City, United States on May 19, 2023. Neely was choked to death earlier this month on the subway by a marine veteran. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency)

"Who thought it was alright for this man to choke a brother to death and go home to see his family?" Sharpton added. "Who gave the order it was alright to release him?"

In attendance at the funeral was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

"He contributed to this community," Ocasio-Cortez said. "What we saw today was a gathering of hundreds of people who knew him and saw him and valued him. Its important a human life is recognized."

WITNESS TO JORDAN NEELY CHOKEHOLD DEATH CALLS DANIEL PENNY A 'HERO'

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - MAY 19: People attended the funeral of Jordan Neely at Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem, New York City, United States on May 19, 2023. Neely was choked to death earlier this month on the subway by a marine veteran. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency)

Mourners attend the funeral service for Jordan Neely, at Mount Neboh Baptist Church in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City on May 19, 2023. The death of Jordan Neely, widely identified as a Michael Jackson impersonator who often performed on the train, was caught on camera and has angered activists and left-leaning lawmakers. The incident touches on two burning issues in the city, the many homeless people suffering mental illness and residents' fears for their safety as they travel in the subway. (Ed Jones / AFP)

Penny was charged last week in the incident.

"Several witnesses observed Mr. Neely making threats and scaring passengers," Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass said at the arraignment. "The defendant approached Mr. Neely from behind and placed him in a chokehold, taking him down to the ground."

KID ROCK TOP DONOR TO DANIEL PENNY'S DEFENSE IN NYC SUBWAY CHOKEHOLD DEATH

US Marine veteran Daniel Penny is walked out of the New York Police Department 5th Precinct in Lower Manhattan, May 12, 2023 on his way to a arraignment after he surrendered to authorities after being charged with 2nd Degree Manslaughter in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely. The death of Jordan Neely -- widely identified as a Michael Jackson impersonator who often performed on the train -- earlier this month sparked outrage. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) (Timothy Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

Penny's attorney, Thomas Keniff, argues that Penny was acting to protect himself as well as other passengers who felt threatened.

If convicted, Penny could face a maximum of 5 to 15 years in prison.

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Mourners attend the funeral service for Jordan Neely, at Mount Neboh Baptist Church in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City on May 19, 2023. The death of Jordan Neely, widely identified as a Michael Jackson impersonator who often performed on the train, was caught on camera and has angered activists and left-leaning lawmakers. The incident touches on two burning issues in the city, the many homeless people suffering mental illness and residents' fears for their safety as they travel in the subway. (Ed Jones/AFP)

Neely had a history of attacks against subway riders, including one 2021 instance where he punched a 67-year-old woman, breaking her orbital bone and nose, according to court records.

Fox News' Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report.

Excerpt from:
Jordan Neely death: Al Sharpton says 'they put their arms around all of us' in funeral speech - Fox News

HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- Loved ones gathered in Harlem Friday for the funeral of Jordan Neely.

Reverend Al Sharpton delivered a powerful eulogy at Mount Neboh Baptist Church. Sharpton included remarks condemning vigilantism. Neely, 30, died after Marine Veteran Daniel Penny, 24, put him in a chokehold on an F train earlier this month.

Lawyers for Penny say Neely was threatening passengers, but a grand jury handed up an indictment and Penny has since been charged with manslaughter.

"We shouldn't not celebrate Jordan's life, but we should not forget how he died. We're not here because of natural causes," Sharpton said at the start of his eulogy. The reverend equated Neely's life of struggle to constantly being choked.

"A good Samaritan helps those in trouble, they don't choke them out," he added to much applause. The church was filled with mourners who often chanted "no justice, no peace" during the service.

"He was a homeless man but he was a human being. You don't deserve that. No, nobody deserves to die like that," mourner Noel McDonald said.

The former Michael Jackson impersonator more recently battled mental health problems and was in and out of psychiatric care more than 40 times, arrested another 40 times, and even accused of brutally beating a woman.

"Jordan was not annoying anyone on the train. Jordan was screaming for help. We keep criminalizing people with mental illness. They don't need abuse, they need help," Sharpton added.

Family members have said the trouble really started after Neely's mother was brutally murdered in 2007. The funeral for Jordan's mother was held at the same church.

In a new interview on "Nightline," one of Neely's aunts says he was homeless by choice.

"Not to my knowledge," said Midlred E.J.B. Mahazu," Neely's aunt. "I wouldn't consider Jordan being homeless. Jordan just liked to be out. He had a grandma and a grandpa here. He had aunts. He had uncles, right here. He just didn't want to be tied up, I guess. He'd do what he wanted to do concerning that, so we couldn't make him."

"So he, his choice was to live on the street?" Pitts asked.

"I assume he did," Mahazu said.

Sharpton stressed that the Neely family should not have to stand alone as they grieve Jordan's loss.

"In your name, we're gonna change how they deal with the homeless. In your name, we're gonna change city services. Jordan, you didn't die for nothing," Sharpton said.

Sharpton thanked Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, who was at the service, for her advocacy for Jordan.

Eyewitness News learned detectives are still looking to interview people on that train, including at least one of the men who helped Penny hold Neely down.

There have been conflicting accounts from witnesses, some believing the chokehold went too far, while others are calling Penny a hero.

"If you look at Jordan, he was defenseless. He didn't fight them. He was just like, combo sweet. And I just feel bad for both families," mourner Sharon John said.

ALSO READ | Jordan Neely's family calls Daniel Penny's statement 'admission of guilt'

Jordan Neely's death sparks protest on subway tracks

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Jordan Neely NYC subway chokehold death: Reverend Al Sharpton to deliver eulogy, condemn vigilantism - WABC-TV

NEW YORK -- Rev. Al Sharpton said the manslaughter charge against Daniel Penny is "just step one" in getting justice for Jordan Neely.

Sharpton again called for other subway riders seen on video restraining Neely while Penny held him in a chokehold to be held accountable.

Penny was arrested, arraigned and released on bond Friday. The 24-year-old Marine veteran was charged with second degree manslaughter in Neely's death on the subway.

"He's dealing with the situation with the sort of integrity and honor that is characteristic of who he is," said Thomas Kenniff, Penny's attorney.

Advocates said this is just the beginning of the long road toward justice. At a news conference Saturday morning, Sharpton is expected to call for other passengers who were on the subway to face consequences too.

On Friday, attorneys for Neely's family called for more serious charges. Neely's father and aunt were too distraught to speak.

"The consequences of manslaughter two is five to 15 years. Ask yourself, is that enough? Is that enough for someone who choked somebody out on the train and took their life?" said Lennon Edwards, an attorney for Neely's family.

Attorneys described how Neely's mental health declined after his mother was choked to death when he was a child. Despite intermittent treatment, a lack of resources left him homeless, they said.

"For everybody saying 'I've been on the train and I've been afraid before and I can't tell you what I would've done in that situation,' I'm gonna tell you. Ask how you can help, please," said Donte Mills, an attorney for Neely's family.

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At Penny's arraignment, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steinglass alleged, "Several witnesses observed Mr. Neely making threats and scaring passengers, the defendant approached Mr. Neely from behind and placed him in a chokehold, taking him down to the ground."

They said Penny continued for several minutes, including after Neely stopped moving.

The defense told the judge Penny was cooperating with police, earned multiple medals in the Marine Corps before being honorably discharged and is now pursuing a bachelor's degree in architecture at a college in New York City.

Penny did not have to enter a plea.

"Because the grand jury hasn't yet indicted him and the people, the prosecutor, plan to bring this before a grand jury," said legal expert Andrew Lieb.

Penny was questioned by police and released on the day of Neely's death. The Civilian Complaint Review Board is investigating NYPD's decision not to arrest him.

Sharpton said he has the same questions.

Christina Fan joined CBS2 News as a general assignment reporter in spring of 2019.

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Rev. Al Sharpton says Daniel Penny's arrest is "just step one" in getting justice for Jordan Neely - CBS News