I’ve seen some pretty aggressive stuff on those subways. The thing I find interesting is that there were several people holding down the man who died. Not just the marine. That seems to imply that everyone there thought the threat was real.
We will see…I guess
Did the homeless man have a weapon? I haven't followed this story closely, but the answer is no, correct? If several people were holding the man down, there was certainly no need to keep him in a choke hold, which will obviously kill somebody. There is using /reasonable force/ to subdue an individual who is acting in a threatening manner and then there is excessive force. This seems a case of excessive force, mitigated by the fact the Marine was acting to subdue a perceived threat. Did the deceased actually harm anybody on the train? I think the answer is no. You can't kill somebody because of what he might do. It's a tough case--a good Samaritan who went too far--and I think witness statements will be key in determining whether any charges are filed. It may be hard not to charge the Marine with something given that the medical examiner has ruled the death a homicide.