NEW YORK (AP) – Jury selection began Monday in the criminal trial of a U.S. Marine veteran charged with involuntary manslaughter for putting the man in killer hug last yr on the New York subway.

Daniel PennyThe 25-year-old is accused of “recklessly causing the death” of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old former street artist. Witnesses say that on May 1, 2023, Neely was acting erratically on the train when Penny approached to stop him.

Neither Penny nor his lawyers commented on the case once they arrived in court on Monday. He has he pleaded not guilty on the issue, which has sparked debate and division at local and national levels.

After Neely’s death, protesters took to the streets to demand that authorities arrest Penny – who’s white; Neely was black while others gathered outside the courthouse when he heard the charges. The case too became a cause celebre amongst Republican presidential candidates.

Penny who he served 4 years in the Marine Corps before his discharge in 2021, was free on $100,000 bail. He faces as much as 15 years in prison if convicted of second-degree manslaughter and as much as 4 years if convicted of criminally negligent homicide.

On Monday morning, greater than 80 potential jurors arrived in court for the first round of questioning. The focus is on whether or not they have work or family responsibilities that might prevent them from going through the trial, which is anticipated to last until December.

It will likely take several days before potential jurors are questioned about any beliefs, personal connections or life experiences which may affect their ability to serve truthfully and impartially.

The selection process and potential two-week timeframe aren’t unusual in long-term trials in Manhattan.

Witnesses say Neely, who has struggled with drug addiction, mental illness and homelessness, screamed and demanded money when Penny approached him.

Penny he pinned Neely to the ground with the help of two other passengers and placed him in pressure for greater than three minutes until Neely’s body went limp. The health worker ruled the death a homicide caused by neck compression.

Penny’s lawyers argue that the Long Island resident had no intention of killing Neely, but merely of holding him down long enough for police to reach. Penny claims Neely screamed, “I’m going to kill you,” and that he was “ready to die” or be imprisoned for all times.

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Penny’s attorney, Steven Raiser, said the defense plans to cite other potential causes of Neely’s death, including high levels of a synthetic cannabinoid often known as K2 found in his system.

They may also argue that the video shared widely on social media proves that Penny didn’t apply pressure consistently enough to render Neely unconscious, much less kill him.

Prosecutors argued in their court filings that Penny’s actions were reckless and negligent, even when he didn’t intend to kill Neely. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office declined to comment before the hearing.

Neely’s uncle, Christopher Neely, said he and other relations had been anxiously awaiting this moment.

“We only think about justice for Jordan,” he told The Associated Press last week.

In addition to the 120 lawsuits already filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs, increasingly individuals are reporting their alleged experiences with the music mogul. On Sunday evening, Buzbee’s law firm filed five new lawsuits against Combs in New York and two in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

“We will let the allegations contained in the complaints speak for themselves and will work to ensure that justice is served,” attorney Tony Buzbee said in a statement to NBC News. “We expect to file cases naming Mr. Combs and others as defendants on a weekly basis as we gather evidence and prepare documents.”

The new round of lawsuits includes additional allegations that the star abused 13-year-old accuser Jane Doe. According to DiversityAccording to reports, the teenager was taken to 1 of Combs’ parties when she unsuccessfully tried to get into the MTV Video Music Awards. (*50*) contacting several limousine drivers, she claims that one of the drivers working for the Bad Boy mogul drove her to the event, where she signed a non-disclosure agreement.

(*50*) taking a drink at a party, the plaintiff claims she “began to feel dizzy and dizzy,” so she went to seek out an empty room to lie down. Shortly thereafter, Combs allegedly entered a room with “celebrities and stars.” A Jane Doe claims that male celebrities sexually assaulted her in front of a female celebrity.

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As with previous lawsuits, Combs’ attorneys have denied the allegations listed within the new Buzbee Law Firm documents.

“Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, his legal defense and the integrity of the judicial process,” the rapper’s legal team shared in a statement, based on NBC. “The truth will prevail in court that Mr. Combs has never committed sexual violence against anyone – adult or minor, male or female.”

As more details about Combs’ alleged abuse come to light, one person is unfazed by Bad Boy mogul 50 Cent’s legal wrangling. Over the years, the New York rapper has openly expressed his disdain for Combs. So much in order that when the star was arrested by federal agents in September, 50 Cent mocked the rapper and recently announced plans to release a documentary concerning the star’s actions.

“Look, it looks like I’m doing something extremely outrageous, but I’m not. I’m really just saying what I’ve been saying for 10 years. 50 Cent said People Magazine. “Now Puffy is within the news increasingly, but apart from that I’m like, ‘Hey, that is just my perspective because I’ve stayed away from these items this whole time because it isn’t my style. “”