Austin, Texas – Former US Army sergeant Daniel Perry, who was convicted of fatally shooting Black Lives Matter protester Garrett Foster in 2020, has received a full pardon from Governor Greg Abbott. Perry, serving a 25-year sentence for the shooting, claimed self-defense under Texas’ “Stand Your Ground” law, a law Abbott cited in his decision to grant the pardon.
The pardon followed a unanimous recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole after conducting an investigation at the governor’s request. Perry, 37, was found guilty of murder in the death of Foster, a US Air Force veteran, during a Black Lives Matter rally in Austin in July 2020 amid nationwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality following the killing of George Floyd.
Perry maintained that he had no choice but to shoot Foster, who he claimed pointed an AK-47 at him, while driving his Uber car through a street where protesters were marching. The incident led to conflicting testimonies during the trial regarding whether Foster had indeed threatened Perry with his weapon.
Abbott’s decision was met with mixed reactions – Perry’s lawyer praised the move as correcting a “courtroom travesty,” while Foster’s fiancee expressed devastation at the reopening of old wounds. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza criticized the pardon, accusing the parole board and governor of prioritizing politics over justice.
The parole board did not provide specific reasons for its recommendation but stated that their investigation thoroughly examined police reports, court records, and witness statements related to Perry’s case. Perry, now free from prison, aims to restore his military career, which was impacted by the conviction.