(TheRedWire.com) – On Thursday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, pardoned Daniel Perry, the Army sergeant convicted of murdering a Black Lives Matter (BLM) protestor in 2020.
In April 2023, a jury found Perry guilty of the murder of Garret Foster, whom he shot at an Autin, Texas protest in July 2020.
The verdict led Perry to receive a 25-year prison sentence. However, shortly after sentencing Abbott requested that the state’s parole board expedite reviewing the case.
Perry’s conviction and sentencing had outraged conservatives who were adamant Perry had acted in self-defense. At the time of the incident, Perry was working as an Uber driver. On the day he fatally shot Foster, a 28-year Air Force veteran, he had dropped off a passenger in downtown Austin and was attempting to maneuver his car through a crowd.
He claimed Foster had aimed his rifle at him, prompting Perry, who was also legally armed, to fire his pistol at Foster because he feared for his life. Yet, prosecutors argued Foster hadn’t raised his rifle to Perry and shared private messages Perry made that suggested he held racist views, including one in which he referred to BLM protestors as zoo animals.
The parole board, appointed by Abbott, announced it had reached the unanimous recommendation to have Perry pardoned, prompting Abbott’s proclamation.
In his statement on Thursday, Abbott lauded Texas’ strong “Stand Your Ground” laws that permit using deadly force in self-defense.
The Republican Governor also granted Perry a full pardon that would restore his “full civil rights of citizenship,” before thanking the review board for reaching its unanimous conclusion.
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