Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Thursday granted a full pardon to a former U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder in the shooting death of an armed protester during a 2020 Black Lives Matter march.
Abbott's move came minutes after the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole unanimously recommended that Daniel Perry be pardoned and his firearm rights restored.
Under Texas law, the governor cannot grant pardons without a recommendation from a governor-appointed board.
“The Texas Board of Pardons and Parole thoroughly investigated the personal history of U.S. Army Sergeant Daniel Perry and the facts surrounding the July 2020 incident and recommended a full pardon and full restoration of citizenship. ,” Abbott said in a statement.
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott (right) granted a full pardon to former U.S. Army sergeant Daniel Perry, who was convicted of murder in the BLM mob shooting in 2020. (AP; Getty Images)
“Among the extensive files reviewed by the committee were information provided by the Travis County District Attorney, the complete investigative report on Daniel Perry, as well as a review of all testimony provided at trial,” Abbott said. he said. “Texas has one of the most powerful self-defense laws, 'Stand Your Ground,' that cannot be overridden by a jury or a progressive district attorney. I appreciate the committee's thorough investigation and I appreciate their clemency recommendation. Approve.”
Perry was charged with murder last month in the shooting death of 28-year-old Garrett Foster, who was legally carrying an AK-47 rifle, in downtown Austin during the summer of 2020 riots across the country. convicted.
Perry was sentenced to 25 years in prison for Foster's murder.
Perry's attorney, Douglas K. O'Connell, said his client is “excited and elated to be free” and “optimistic about the future.”
“He wishes this tragic event had never happened and that he did not have to defend himself against Mr. Foster's misconduct,” O'Connell said. “At the same time, Daniel recognizes that the Foster family is saddened. We look forward to seeing Daniel reunited with his family and his loved ones.”
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Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza slammed the pardon, calling it “a mockery of our legal system.”
“The board and the governor are putting politics over justice,” Garza said. “They should be ashamed of themselves. Their actions are against the law and show that there are two classes of people in this state, whose lives matter and whose lives don't. sent a message to Garrett Foster's family and his partner, and to our community that his life doesn't matter. ”
Prosecutors argued that Perry was able to drive away without firing a shot, and witnesses testified that they never saw Foster raise the gun. The sergeant's attorney argued that Foster, who is white, had raised his rifle and that Perry had no choice but to fire. Perry, who is also white, did not take the witness stand, and jurors deliberated for two days before finding him guilty.
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Perry served in the Army for over 10 years. A forensic psychologist testified at trial that he believed Perry suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder due to his deployment to Afghanistan and his childhood bullying.
At the time of the shooting, Perry was stationed at Fort Cavazos, then Fort Hood, about 110 miles north of Austin.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bradford Betts is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital, covering crime, politics and more.