Daniel Penny has broken his silence, claiming Jordan Neely introduced “terror” on the train before he died, according to a statement he made to The New York Post. Penny, a Marine veteran, is facing manslaughter charges for the choking to death of the reportedly aggressive Neely, who was homeless, during an altercation on the New York Subway earlier this month.
“I can tell you that the threats, the menacing, the terror that Jordan Neely introduced to that train has already been well-documented,” Penny told the New York Post.
“I don’t think it’s going to even be controverted. There are numerous witnesses from all different walks of life who have absolutely no motive to do anything other than to recount what actually happened. They are uniform in their recollection of events.”
Daniel Penny, charged in NYC subway chokehold death, breaks silence: ‘I am not a white supremacist’ https://t.co/YKxd4g45Wh pic.twitter.com/EBaPfzq2Fa
— New York Post (@nypost) May 20, 2023
Before his May 1 death, the 30-year-old Neely had purportedly boarded the Subway train and began acting aggressively towards passengers, with some claiming he even alluded he would kill some of them. In an attempt to protect himself and his fellow passengers, Penny, who was on his way to the gym for a swim, moved to subdue Neely, placing the homeless man in a chokehold until the train arrived at the next station. When law enforcement authorities arrived on the scene, however, Neely was dead. His death was later ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
“I’m deeply saddened by the loss of life,” Penny told The New York Post. “It’s tragic what happened to him. Hopefully, we can change the system that’s so desperately failed us.” (RELATED: GAMA SOSA: Jordan Neely’s Death Is No Surprise. The Democrats Destroyed Everything That Could Have Helped Him)
Neely, who had been arrested more than 40 times prior to his death, was struggling with homelessness and mental health issues. His death has sparked an outcry from Democratic leaders and civil rights advocates. Some, like Al Sharpton, have claimed Neely was killed because of his race, an accusation flatly denied by Penny.
“I judge a person based on their character. I’m not a white supremacist,” Penny told The New York Post, adding the accusations leveled at him on that front were a bit “comical.”
“Everybody who’s ever met me can tell you, I love all people, I love all cultures. You can tell by my past and all my travels and adventures around the world. I was actually planning a road trip through Africa before this happened.”
While Penny is aware of the protests surrounding Neely’s death and the negativity being thrown at him in some corners of the media, he told The New York Post he has learned to remain calm in the face of adversity, something he attributes to the examples set by his father and grandfather.
“What’s the point of worrying about something? Worrying is not going to make your problems disappear,” he posed to The New York Post.
When asked if he would do the same thing again, knowing what he does now, Penny replied, “You know, I live an authentic and genuine life,” Penny said. “And I would — if there was a threat and danger in the present …”
Penny added he always does what he thinks is right.
Though Penny turned himself into law enforcement authorities, he is currently out on bail and awaiting trial on a second-degree manslaughter charge. If convicted, Penny faces up to 15 years in prison, according to The New York Post.