During an exclusive sitdown with Fox News’ Judge Jeanine Pirro, Daniel Penny explained why he stepped up to subdue Jordan Neely on that New York City subway car.
Penny was acquitted this week of criminally negligent homicide in Neely’s death.
“I’m not a confrontational person,” Penny told Pirro, a former district attorney. “This type of thing is very uncomfortable — all this attention and limelight is very uncomfortable, and I would prefer without it. I don’t want any type of attention or praise, and I still don’t.”
But Penny said he wouldn’t have been able to forgive himself if Neely followed through on his threats to harm innocent subway riders.
“The guilt I would have felt if someone did get hurt, if he [Neely] did do what he was threatening to do, I would never be able to live with myself,” the 26-year-old explained. “I’ll take a million court appearances and people calling me names and people hating me just to keep one of those people from getting hurt or killed.”
Watch the clip below:
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) is planning to introduce a resolution to give Penny the Congressional Gold Medal for his actions on the subway protecting fellow riders.
Penny still faces a civil lawsuit filed by Neely’s father, Andre Zachery; he is accusing Penny of assault, battery, and causing his son’s death through “negligence, carelessness and recklessness.”
