Daniel Penny, the Marine veteran unfairly charged by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's office, speaks out for the first time after putting a homeless man in a fatal chokehold.
Penny said that the incident which killed Jordan Neely had nothing to do with race — but everything to do with a broken system "that so desperately failed us."
"This had nothing to do with race," Penny told the New York Post. "I judge a person based on their character. I'm not a white supremacist."
The former Marine said he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident but insisted he had every right to protect himself and others on the subway that day.
"I'm deeply saddened by the loss of life," Penny continued. "You know, I live an authentic and genuine life. And I would — if there was a threat and danger in the present."
The 24-year-old veteran said he does not feel ashamed of what he did, adding that he always does what he thinks is right.
Penny told the Post he was going to the gym when Neely entered his subway car in early May. Neely, who reportedly suffered from mental illness, began yelling about going to jail and being hungry and tired. Passengers reportedly said that Neely was yelling and acting erratically when Penny intervened, putting him in a chokehold.
Attorneys for Penny say that the Marine acted in self-defense.
A witness told Fox News Digital that he believes Penny "saved a lot of people that day that could have gotten hurt" while recalling that Neely was using words like "kill" and "bullet" when he was yelling.
When asked how he feels about the negative media coverage and public outcry following the incident, Penny said that he has remained calm and that worrying won't take away his problems.
"If you're faced with all these challenges, you have to remain calm," Penny said. "What's the point of worrying about something? Worrying is not going to make your problems disappear. I attribute this to my father and grandfather. They are very, very stoic."