In an interview with The New York Post, Daniel Penny, the former marine accused of placing Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a New York City subway earlier this month, is opening up about the incident.
“It had nothing to do with race,” Penny told the NY Post, “I judge a person based on their character. I’m not a white supremacist.”
Due to the pending investigation, Penny said he couldn’t go into detail about the incident but said it was not like “anything I’d experienced before,” adding, “This was different, this time was much different.”
According to Penny’s attorney, Thomas Kenniff, “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.”
One of the witnesses told the Post that Neely started making a speech when “He started screaming aggressively. He said he had no food, he had no drink, that he was tired, and doesn’t care if he goes to jail. He started screaming all these things, took off his jacket, a black jacket that he had, and threw it on the ground.”
Penny was seen on video placing Neely in a chokehold for 4 minutes while other bystanders held him down.
Neely, 30, a Michael Jackson impersonator, was pronounced dead at Lenox Hill Hospital.
CNN reported that Penny was charged with second-degree manslaughter on May 12, and is currently out on a $100,000 bail.
Outlets have reported that Penny is an architect student who is currently studying remotely following the incident.
According to The Post, when asked what he would tell Neely’s family, he said, “I’m deeply saddened by the loss of life. It’s tragic what happened to him. Hopefully, we can change the system that’s so desperately failed us.”
When asked if he would take action in a similar situation, Penny said, “You know, I live an authentic and genuine life. And I would — if there was a threat and danger in the present.”
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