Penny used a long known pro wrestling "sleeper" hold on Neely.

[Nomad]

I still believe that Penny had no intention of killing or harming Neely, but I think he used a risky and reckless pro-wrestling move that I often saw on TV wrestling in my youth.

I recognized it the instant I saw the picture.

When I was a kid in the late 60's, my favorite thing to watch on Saturday morning TV after the cartoons were finished, was a local, live broadcast called "Championship Wrestling From Florida". Hosted by commentator Gordon Solie, it was video taped in nearby Orlando at what would eventually be renamed The Eddie Graham Sports Stadium.

One of the regular wrestlers had a signature move called The Sleeper Hold which he often employed to literally put his opponents to sleep. The use of this hold can be traced back to the 1880's.

Very simply, it involved getting one's arm around the opponent's neck from behind and using the other hand placed across the forehead, to turn the opponent's head slightly so that the bicep and forearm around the neck, cut off the blood flow in both carotid arteries, causing the opponent to lose consciousness without cutting off the windpipe.

Eventually some other wrestlers adopted the move, but most wouldn't because it was considered too dangerous.

In the comparison photo below, which I put together, there is little doubt as to what Penny was attempting to employ...



Again, I don't hold anything against Penny for trying to protect himself and other passengers from Neely's fit of rage, but he should have known better than to employ that particular technique.

Especially after the George Floyd incident and some others.