A day after being acquitted in a nationally watched trial where he declined to take the stand, Daniel Penny was speaking out.
The Marine veteran, who faced up to 15 years in prison after being charged in the death of a mentally disturbed man during a New York subway confrontation in 2023, sat for an interview with Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro.
And while progressive Democrats like Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg won’t like what he had to say, Penny’s fans are cheering.
Excerpts from the interview are below (the full interview is available to Fox Nation subscribers):
Penny, now 26, was found innocent Monday on a charge of criminally negligent homicide in the death of 30-year-old Jordan Neely in a New York subway in May 2023. On Friday, the judge in the case dismissed a manslaughter charge after the jury announced it was deadlocked on Penny’s guilt.
While Penny did not testify in his own defense, he told Pirro he placed Neely in a chokehold to protect his fellow passengers.
Neely, who had a long history of arrests and violence, and an open warrant for assault at the time of his death, had been ranting and threatening before Penny subdued him, witnesses told police.
“The guilt I would have felt if someone did get hurt, if he did do what he was threatening to do, I would never be able to live with myself,” he told Pirro.
Should Daniel Penny sue New York City officials?
“I’ll take a million court appearances and people calling me names, people hating me, just to keep one of those people from getting hurt or killed,” he said.
The interview drew plenty of praise on social media.
A true hero right there
— J.T. (@JTTrainz) December 10, 2024
He saved the lives of many people that day who all testified they were scared for their life. He’s a hero
— Army of the Awakened (@armyoftheawaken) December 10, 2024
Exactly what a Hero would say . Thank you Daniel
— Gina Capuanogina (@GCapuanogi30064) December 10, 2024
But Penny didn’t place the blame for the confrontation on Neely — at least not in the excerpts that have been aired.
Instead he blamed New York officials who’ve allowed crime in the state to grow — and yet prosecuted him for what he called “political gain.”
“These are their policies — and I don’t mean to get political, I don’t want to make any enemies, really, although I guess I have already — but I mean these are their polices that have clearly not worked,” he told Pirro.
“That the people, the general population, are not in support of, yet their egos are too big just to admit they’re wrong.”
It’s a scathing message, but most Americans probably agree.
And on Monday, a New York jury rendered the opinion that really counts.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.