Jordan Neely was shouting threats on the NYC subway. Fellow passenger Daniel Penny put Neely into a chokehold and killed him. Journalist Anand Giridharadas believes both men felt abandoned. Above, protestors rally in support of Neely in New York City on May 24, 2023. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images hide caption

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

On May 1, 2023, an unhoused Black man named Jordan Neely boarded the New York City subway. For years, Neely had drawn crowds with his Michael Jackson impersonation, but on that day he was in crisis, shouting threats and frightening fellow passengers.

A white former Marine named Daniel Penny stepped in, putting Neely into a chokehold for six minutes, killing him. Later, a video of the encounter divided the country. To some, Penny was doing what the police weren't there to do. To others, Neely was a victim, another Black man whose life had been treated as disposable.

Journalist Anand Giridharadas spent more than two years investigating what the video couldn't show.…