Daniel Penny appeared unaware that his chokehold on Jordan Neely had killed the homeless man — and tried to downplay the maneuver hours later, insisting he wasn’t “trying to kill the guy,” it was revealed in court Thursday.

A man who aided Daniel Penny while he restrained Jordan Neely in a lethal chokehold aboard a subway car in May 2023 recalled telling the former U.S. Marine he could safely release his grip from Neely’s neck in trial testimony on Tuesday.

Done right, the maneuver should knock a person out without killing them, according to a Marines combat instructor who trained Penny. But held too long, the technique can restrict the flow of blood