Daniel Penny explains in his own words why he kept Jordan Neely on the subway for so long

New York jury acquits Daniel Penny in subway chokehold death

He said he was nervous and scared and wondered what to do for about 15 seconds.

“Should I just wait? Should I take another car? Should I move away?” he said. “But I saw the looks of the mother, the schoolchildren, the other passengers – women, children. I felt that the threats were imminent and that something had to be done.”

Penny then grabbed Neely from behind in a chokehold and threw him to the ground. He said he hoped the train would arrive at the station and police would arrive and take control, but it took police several minutes to get there.

He said Neely “threw” and used the subway pole to escape the restraint. He described Neely as “extraordinarily strong” and therefore believed he was taking drugs.

Several other people helped hold Neely down, including a man who grabbed his arms. “He said, ‘You can let him go as soon as I grab him,’ (and) I said, ‘He’ll break out of there,’ even though I knew how strong he is.”

Other subway riders thanked him for his help, he said.

When asked if he felt the Neely family’s loss, he replied, “Of course.”

Immediately after his acquittal on Monday, Penny and his legal team went to a bar in Lower Manhattan, a bar employee told CNN by phone. There, Penny held a drink in one hand and gave a thumbs-up with his other hand in a posed photo with his attorneys, Thomas Kenniff and Steven Raiser, according to a photo taken by Kenniff.

The post-verdict celebrations underscore a fundamental fact about Penny’s future: The 26-year-old is now a free man.

His exact plans remain unclear. His lawyers did not respond to a CNN request for comment about his future.

While the criminal case against him has concluded, Penny still faces a civil lawsuit from Neely’s father, Andre Zachery, accusing Penny of assault, battery and causing Neely’s death. Zachery, who is listed as the executor of Neely’s estate, accused Penny of causing the death through “negligence, carelessness and recklessness.” The lawsuit does not specify how much money the family is seeking.

Kenniff, Penny’s defense attorney, did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

As for Penny’s life and career, he took college courses in engineering and architecture at City Tech. He also served as a sergeant in the Marines for four years, from 2017 to 2021, with his most recent deployment being at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, according to military records.

After detaining Neely last May, Penny spoke to police and briefly chatted with a detective about his naval service and career plans.

“I’m at school. I’m using this GI bill,” Penny said, referring to the federal program that provides college education benefits to veterans. “But we’ll see. I miss the Marine Corps. I miss the camaraderie.”

Furthermore, the trial and debate over his conduct on the subway have made him a recognizable public figure and a political talking point – for better or worse.

“Certainly there are people in society who look down on his actions and actions, but I also think there are people who are sympathetic to him because of his actions,” CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson said.

Penny’s controversial approach to handcuffing Neely made him the target of protests outside the court throughout the trial. The acquittal verdict sparked further emotions Monday: Neely’s father was escorted from the courtroom after the verdict was read after an audible outburst of profanity, and Hawk Newsome, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York, yelled “Small world, buddy.” he said to Penny as he was led out.

“I kind of have to look over my shoulder now. “There are a lot of crazy people out there,” Penny said in the Fox Nation interview. “I have to worry about my family and I have to worry about my future, which is harder to understand.”

On the other hand, right-wing politicians have praised his actions and made him a hero. President-elect Donald Trump previously commented on the case, telling Fox News: “I think it’s a terribly difficult case.” Vice President-elect JD Vance expressed support for Penny on Monday, saying on X: “God be “Thankfully, justice was served in this case.”

Rep. Eli Crane, an Arizona Republican, introduced a resolution in Congress on Monday to award Penny a Congressional Gold Medal for his “heroism,” he said in a post on X.

Penny told Fox Nation he is not a “confrontational person” and said he is uncomfortable with the public attention.

“I still feel completely normal,” Penny said. “I don’t feel exceptional in any way, and I don’t want to feel that way. I don’t want praise, I don’t want attention, I don’t want the spotlight. It just makes me very uncomfortable. I’d like to just get back to normal, but we’ll see.”