### Defense Medical Examiner Testifies Jordan Neely's Death Not Caused by Daniel Penny's Chokehold

In the criminal trial of Daniel Penny, a defense-hired medical examiner, Dr. Satish Chundru, testified that Jordan Neely's death was not the result of Penny's chokehold. Penny faces charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide after the May 2023 incident where he restrained Neely, a homeless man with schizophrenia, on an uptown F train in Manhattan. Penny has pleaded not guilty, claiming he acted because Neely was yelling threats.

Dr. Chundru, a Texas-based forensic pathologist, argued that Neely's death stemmed from a combination of the stress of the encounter and his existing health conditions, not the chokehold. He based his findings on a thorough review of Neely's autopsy, photos of Neely’s body, and video evidence of the incident. Chundru asserted, "This is not a chokehold death," when asked if Penny's actions led to Neely's demise.

Prosecutors, supported by the city medical examiner Dr. Cynthia Harris, contend that Penny's chokehold cut off Neely's air supply, leading to asphyxiation. Harris had testified that injuries on Neely’s body confirmed her diagnosis. Nonetheless, Chundru refuted her conclusions, stating they did not align with established medical literature and that his own examination did not reveal tell-tale signs of chokehold-induced asphyxiation, such as significant burst blood vessels on Neely's eyelids.

Defense arguments further included Chundru’s critique of Harris' theories on how Penny might have impeded Neely’s airway and blood flow. Chundru maintained that Penny's chokehold did not qualify as either an air choke or a blood choke, and he dismissed her speculation about Penny displacing Neely’s tongue as unsupported by the video evidence.

Chundru's alternative explanation for Neely's death cited his underlying health issues, including schizophrenia and a genetic sickle cell trait, compounded by the stress of the violent encounter and the presence of synthetic cannabinoids in his system. During cross-examination, Assistant District Attorney Dafna Yoran scrutinized Chundru’s workload and previous statements, seeking to undermine his credibility.

The prosecution pressed Chundru on the possibility of Penny applying dangerous levels of pressure at certain moments. A video showed an individual, Eric Gonzalez, claiming Penny wasn't squeezing; however, Gonzalez later testified he was attempting to calm another passenger rather than making a clinical assessment.

As the trial progresses, the outcome hinges on whether the defense successfully introduces enough doubt about the direct cause of Neely’s death, potentially leading jurors to acquit Penny.