Marine veteran Daniel Penny charged with manslaughter over Jordan Neely subway chokehold death

Police in New York have charged a US Marine veteran with the manslaughter of Jordan Neely after he was put in a lethal chokehold aboard a subway train.

Daniel Penny, 24, will be arrested and face a charge of second degree manslaughter, which could carry a jail term of up to 15 years.

He placed Mr Neely in a chokehold until his body went limp, police officials allege. His cause of death was ruled as compression of the neck.

"We cannot provide any additional information until he has been arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court, which we expect to take place tomorrow," the Manhattan district attorney's office said in a statement.

The charges come nearly two weeks after subway riders filmed Penny pinning Mr Neely, 30, to a subway carriage's floor in a chokehold that lasted for several minutes.

A freelance journalist who recorded video of Mr Neely's final minutes said he had been screaming at other passengers, but had not attacked anyone when several fellow subway riders pulled him to the floor.

Mr Neely was known for his Michael Jackson impersonations around New York City's subways.

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He had struggled in recent years with homelessness and worsening mental illness, according to his friends.

The medical examiner's office had originally ruled Mr Neely died in a homicide, but said the question of criminal culpability would be up to the legal system.

Penny said through his lawyers last week that he "never intended" to harm Mr Neely, adding that he was only protecting himself after he claims Neely threatened him and other passengers.

Mr Neely's death has opened up fresh racial tensions in the United States, with demonstrations taking place demanding Penny's arrest.