Daniel Penny Speaks Out After New York City Subway Chokehold Incident Resulting in Jordan Neely’s Death

In an exclusive interview with The New York Post, Daniel Penny, a former marine who allegedly placed Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold during a New York City subway incident earlier this month, has broken his silence.

Daniel Penny is breaking his silence after the N.Y.C. Subway chokehold killing of Jordan Neely. (Photo: New York Post)

Daniel Penny Speaks Out

Daniel Penny, 24 years old, stated that Jordan Neely’s death was not racially motivated and emphasized that he judges people based on their character rather than their race, firmly stating, “I’m not a white supremacist.”

According to PEOPLE, although Daniel Penny could not provide detailed information about the events leading to Neely’s death due to his pending case, he did express that the incident was unlike anything he had previously experienced, adding, “This was different, this time was much different.”

Daniel Penny’s attorney, Thomas Kenniff, from the law firm Raiser & Kenniff, also spoke with The New York Post and highlighted that numerous witnesses, from various backgrounds, can corroborate Penny’s version of events.

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Daniel Penny’s Witnesses Recall Chokehold Incident

According to authorities and eyewitness accounts, earlier this month, Neely, 30, was causing a disturbance on a northbound F train in Manhattan, harassing fellow passengers.

Juan Alberto Vazquez, who captured the incident on video, shared with The New York Post that Neely became aggressive, shouting and expressing his frustrations.

It was at this point that Daniel Penny intervened, attempting to restrain Neely by placing his arms around his neck. Vazquez’s four-minute video footage shows a struggle between the two men, with other passengers assisting in holding Neely down, as reported by The New York Times.

After the incident, Neely, a Michael Jackson impersonator with a history of mental illness, was transported to Lenox Hill Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The city’s medical examiner later determined Neely’s death to be a homicide, according to  ABC 7 and The New York Times.

Daniel Penny was charged for the incident with second-degree manslaughter on May 12, and is currently out on a $100,000 bail, according to CNN.

Daniel Penny also said he has the support of family and friends since the incident.

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