An online legal fund for Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran who was charged with second degree-manslaughter for choking Jordan Neely on a subway train in New York City has raised almost $3 million, CBS News reports.

The description of the fund describes Penny, 24, as “facing a criminal investigation stemming from him protecting individuals on a NYC subway train from an assailant who later died.” It goes on to say any funds that exceed the fundraising goal will be donated to mental health services in New York.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 52,000 people have contributed to the fund including an anonymous donor who gave $10,000 writing, "Thank you for protecting the citizens that day” in the comments section.

Raiser & Kenniff, P.C, Penny’s legal team who created the online fund, issued a statement expressing their condolences to Neely’s family and friends saying that their client "never intended to harm Mr. Neely and could not have foreseen his untimely death."

Penny is finding support in right-wing and conservative circles who agree that he was defending himself and others from what they say was Neely’s erratic behavior. According to The New York Times, possibly the most notable was Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who called Penny a “Good Samaritan.”

Another Florida Republican, Rep. Matt Goetz said Penny was a “subway superman,” and pledged to contribute to his legal defense.

Also, in an article highly critical of the justice system in New York, the conservative magazine National Review described Penny as being “put in that position by Neely, a predatory, mentally unstable career criminal with over 40 arrests to his name.”

Despite that, no evidence has emerged yet that says Neely was any type of physical threat to Penny or any subway passenger.

On May 1, 2023, Neely, who suffered from mental illness and was a known Michael Jackson impersonator who would perform on New York City subways, was killed after a video shows Penny choking him for almost 15 minutes.

Penny’s attorneys claim that their client was seeking to protect the passengers on board because of Neely’s erratic behavior.

"When Mr. Penny, a decorated Marine veteran, stepped in to protect himself and his fellow New Yorkers, his well-being was not assured,” the statement read. “He risked his own life and safety, for the good of his fellow passengers. The unfortunate result was the unintended and unforeseen death of Mr. Neely. We are confident that once all the facts and circumstances surrounding this tragic incident are brought to bear, Mr. Penny will be fully absolved of any wrongdoing."

Lennon Edwards, the lawyer representing Neely’s family, disputes Penny and his legal team’s claims.

"Daniel Penny chose, intentionally chose, a technique to use that is designed to cut off air — that's what he chose — and he chose to continue to hold that chokehold minute after minute, second after second, until there was no life left in Jordan Neely,” Edwards argued.

So far, a GoFundMe campaign established for Neely’s funeral expenses has raised nearly $145,000.

Penny is free on bond. His next court date is July 17.