More than a year after Daniel Perry was convicted for murdering a Black Lives Matter protester in Austin, Gov. Greg Abbott pardoned the former U.S. Army sergeant.
A jury sentenced Perry to 25 years in prison last year, prompting Abbott to ask the state parole board to review his case.Daniel Perry, the former U.S. Army sergeant convicted of killing veteran Garrett Foster during a BLM protest in Austin, was sentenced to 25 years.
"Among the voluminous files reviewed by the Board, they considered information provided by the Travis County District Attorney, the full investigative report on Daniel Perry, plus a review of all the testimony provided at trial," Abbott said in a statement announcing the proclamation that absolved Perry. "Texas has one of the strongest 'Stand Your Ground' laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive District Attorney.
Foster was openly carrying an AK-47 rifle at the time, and during the trial, each side presented conflicting accounts as to whether the protester raised the gun to Perry, who was also legally armed. Perry shot Foster and then fled the area, police said. He then called the police and reported what happened, claiming he shot in self-defense after Foster aimed his weapon at him.
Abbott rarely issues pardons, which the board must recommend before the governor can act. Abbott granted three pardons in 2023, two in 2022, and eight in 2021-most for lower-level offenses.
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