Jordan Neely’s cry for help should not have been his death sentence | Tayo Bero

Neely's lynching - along with the subsequent justifications of it - have revealed just how low the bar is for justifying Black death in America

Since 30-year-old Jordan Neely was choked to death on a New York City subway, much has been said about his state of mind in the moments before he was killed. Witnesses reported that Neely was upset and that he said he was hungry and ready to die.

Usually, none of those things would result in a violent, public death; but Jordan Neely was also Black. And his killing - along with the subsequent justifications of it - have revealed just how low the bar is for justifying Black death in America.

Tayo Bero is a freelance writer