On Saturday (April 8), Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) revealed his intentions to seek a pardon for an Army sergeant recently convicted of shooting a Black Lives Matter protester at an anti-police protest in 2020.
Abbott took to Twitter to share his promise to work as “swiftly” as the state’s law permitted in regards to pardoning Sergeant Perry.”
Abbott explained in his tweet that the Pardons and Parole Board has to recommend a Texas pardon, noting that he had brought the pardon of Perry to the board’s attention, instructing them to this request and urging the board to “expedite the review.”
The governor continued, expressing being enthusiastic to sign the pardon when it reached his desk.
On Friday (April 7), a jury convicted Army Sgt. Daniel Perry of murder because he shot and killed a Black Lives Matter protester who was wielding an AK-47.
At the time of the incident and during the trial, the Austin Police Department concluded that Perry acted in self-defense.
When the deadly shooting occurred, Perry, stationed at Fort Hood, was driving an Uber to earn extra cash.
He was driving in downtown Austin on the night of July 25, 2020, when he encountered a large group of protesters.
Police say protestors illegally blocked city streets that night, similarly protesting in Austin and elsewhere during weeks of unrest.
Among the protesters was 28-year-old Garrett Foster, who was carrying an AK-47. Perry’s defense team said protesters surrounded the Sergeant’s vehicle and began punching him and that Foster pointed a gun at Perry, prompting him to open fire with a handgun he was legally carrying for self-defense.
