Daniel Penny, who was charged with killing Jordan Neely with a chokehold on a New York City subway, was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday (June 14),  Associated Press reports.

Although grand jury proceedings are kept private, New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the indictment in an official statement.

“I appreciate [Manhattan District Attorney Alvin] Bragg conducting a thorough investigation into the death of Jordan Neely. Like I said when the D.A. first brought charges, I have the utmost faith in the judicial process, and now that the Grand Jury has indicted Daniel Penny, a trial and justice can move forward,” Adams’ statement read.

Following the announcement of the indictment, Neely’s family also issued a statement praising the grand jury’s decision.

"Daniel Penny's indictment is the right result for the wrong he committed," read the statement. "The grand jury's decision tells our city and our nation that 'no one is above the law' no matter how much money they raise, no matter what affiliations they claim, and no matter what distorted stories they tell in interviews."

Penny’s attorneys, Steven Raiser and Thomas Kenniff, released a statement saying that it wasn’t their client’s intention to kill Neely but to apprehend him until law enforcement arrived on the scene.

“While we respect the decision of the grand jury to move this case forward to trial, it should be noted that the standard of proof in a grand jury is very low and there has been no finding of wrongdoing,” the joint statement read. “We’re confident that when a trial jury is tasked with weighing the evidence, they will find Daniel Penny’s actions on that train were fully justified.”

Neely, a Michael Jackson impersonator who was homeless and struggled with mental illness, was seen on camera being choked by Penny on the floor of the train for almost 15 minutes. According to eyewitness accounts, Neely repeatedly yelled at passengers when he entered the car, saying he was hungry and thirsty.

At Neely’s funeral, Al Sharpton criticized how society treats those who struggle to maintain their mental health.

"Jordan was not annoying someone on the train," he said during his eulogy. "Jordan was screaming for help. We keep criminalizing people with mental illness."

In May, Penny was charged with second-degree manslaughter and released on $100,000 bail. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.