Daniel Perry takes his seat after receiving a 25-year sentence for the murder of Garrett Foster at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin, Texas, on May 10, 2023. Perry was found guilty in April for the July 2020 killing of Foster during a Black Lives Matter protest. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP, Pool) Jay Janner/Pool/Austin American-Statesman/AP/File. Img source: edition.cnn.com
May 17, 2024 Story by: Editor
AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) — On Thursday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a full pardon for Daniel Perry, who was convicted of shooting and killing Black Lives Matter protester Garrett Foster in July 2020. Perry, a former Army sergeant, had been found guilty of murder in April 2023 and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Governor Abbott swiftly signed a proclamation following the unanimous vote by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to grant a full pardon and restore Perry’s gun ownership rights.
In his statement, Abbott said, “The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles conducted an exhaustive review of U.S. Army Sergeant Daniel Perry’s personal history and the facts surrounding the July 2020 incident and recommended a Full Pardon and Restoration of Full Civil Rights of Citizenship.
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. I thank the Board for its thorough investigation, and I approve their pardon recommendation.”
Perry admitted to shooting Garrett Foster while driving for Uber in downtown Austin during a 2020 demonstration. Foster was armed, and Perry’s attorneys claimed the shooting was in self-defense.
Perry’s attorney, Doug O’Connell, expressed gratitude to Abbott for the pardon. In his statement, O’Connell said Perry “wishes that this tragic event never happened and wishes he never had to defend himself against Mr. Foster’s unlawful actions. At the same time, Daniel recognizes that the Foster family is grieving. We are anxious to see Daniel reunited with his family and loved ones.”
The Board of Pardons and Paroles began reviewing Perry’s case following a request from Abbott in April 2023. The board’s statement detailed their extensive review of documents, including police reports, court records, witness statements, and interviews. Their thorough investigation led to the unanimous recommendation for a full pardon and restoration of Perry’s firearm rights.
Travis County District Attorney José Garza, whose office prosecuted Perry, condemned the governor’s decision in a detailed statement, expressing condolences to Foster’s loved ones. “The Board and the Governor have put their politics over justice and made a mockery of our legal system. They should be ashamed of themselves,” Garza said. “Their actions are contrary to the law and demonstrate that there are two classes of people in this state where some lives matter and some lives do not. They have sent a message to Garrett Foster’s family, to his partner, and to our community that his life does not matter.” Source: Wgntv.com
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in a post on X, accused “Soros-backed prosecutors” like Garza of trying to undermine American rights, asserting that justice had prevailed after “BLM riots terrorized the nation in 2020.”
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice confirmed that Perry is no longer in state custody.
Whitney Mitchell, Foster’s fiancée, and her mother called the pardon a “devastating blow” that “reopened deep wounds.” Their statement read, “This decision has not only retraumatized my daughter, who has been trying to find peace and closure but has also inflicted further pain on Garrett’s family and all who loved him. It sends a chilling message about the value of human life and the strength of political influence, eroding trust in the institutions meant to protect us.” They urged those who believe in justice and human dignity to remember Garrett and advocate for a system that steadfastly upholds these values.
