The Marine Corps veteran facing manslaughter charges following an altercation with a deranged transient on a New York City metro train is making his first public statement since Jordan Neely’s death.

In a Saturday interview with the New York Post, Daniel Penny refuted allegations that he acted as a vigilante and vehemently denied that race played a role in the incident.

“This had nothing to do with race,” Penny said of his interaction with Neely.

“I judge a person based on their character. I’m not a white supremacist.”

Penny restrained Neely on the F metro train, acting in concert with a group of passengers as Neely made violent threats and stated he would be sent to prison.

Witnesses on the train have defended Penny’s actions, even dubbing him a “hero” for protecting other passengers from Neely’s attack.

NEW: Witness to the Jordan Neely subway death breaks silence with new details as she is calling Marine Daniel Penny a 'hero' for protecting her and other passengers.

"Mr. Penny cared for people. That’s what he did. That is his crime."

"It was self-defense, and I believe in my… pic.twitter.com/4SpufEzBxY

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 18, 2023

Penny refrained from discussing the transit altercation during his interview with the Post, citing his own legal interests.

The veteran was charged with second-degree manslaughter following Neely’s death by the progressive Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg.

Penny’s attorney, Thomas Kenniff, is using Neely’s history of violent conduct and arrests on the metro as proof that the mentally ill vagrant was the aggressor.

“I can tell you that the threats, the menacing, the terror that Jordan Neely introduced to that train has already been well documentedm,” Kenniff said.

More on this story via The Western Journal:

“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.”

Penny expressed sadness over Neely’s death — lamenting how the altercation could’ve been prevented had “the system” not failed him. CONTINUE READING…