Thousands of donors raced to the defense of Marine Daniel Penny Saturday as a fund for his legal defense surpassed $1 million Saturday.
Penny, 24, who placed Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a Manhattan subway train on May 1, was was arraigned Friday on a second-degree manslaughter charge.
But more than 21,000 donors — who mostly remained anonymous — have flocked to the GiveSendGo platform created by his attorneys to show their support.
By noon Saturday, the “Daniel Penny’s Legal Defense Fund” site had raised a total of $1,034,712 — with donations throughout the morning averaging $821 a minute.
“The man is a hero,” one donor wrote on the website. “He took down a deranged lunatic.”
“I wish this Marine was on the train with me every time,” wrote another nameless donor — who kicked in $100 and identified themselves as a regular subway rider. “Thank you thank you.”
Marcia Mulcahy, who lived across the street from Penny and his family for four years on Long Island, called him “a nice kid.”
“Just look at the GoFundMe to see how people feel about him,” Mulcahy said. “We’re all contributing to it.”
“He was just trying to help on the subway,” she said. “It was obviously a scary situation and it all went wrong. But he didn’t go in there trying to hurt anyone. He was trying to help.”
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Penny’s attorney Thomas Keniff said he is “confident” that his client “will be absolved of any wrong doing.”
Penny “is no stranger to adversity,” Keniff told The Post. “He enlisted into the Marine Corps out of high school. While many of his peers opted for comforts of college life, Daniel swore an oath to defend his country.
“He is prepared to face this case with that same resolve, and humbled to know he is not waking that path alone.”
Fund proceeds that “exceed those necessary to cover Mr. Penny’s legal defense” will be given to a New York City mental health program, his attorneys wrote on the crowdfunding platform.
In a shocking video, Penny wrapping his arms around the neck of the homeless Neely — who struggled with mental health issues — with the help of other commuters.
According to witness accounts, Neely was acting erratically and was threatening other passengers before Penny stepped in.
Neely had a long history of mental illness and had several prior arrests.
The city medical examiner ruled Neely’s death a homicide, noting he died due to “compression of neck (chokehold).”
