Former US Army Sergeant Daniel Perry, convicted of murdering U.S. Air Force veteran Garrett Foster at a Black Lives Matter rally in 2020, has been granted a full pardon by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The pardon follows a recommendation from the Texas Parole Board, which was unanimously approved.
In the incident, Perry shot Foster, claiming self-defense as Foster was carrying an assault-style rifle and allegedly pointed it at him during a protest in downtown Austin. Perry was initially convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison by a jury in Austin last year.
The decision to pardon Perry has sparked intense reactions, with critics labeling it as politically motivated. Whitney Mitchell, Foster's girlfriend, criticized the pardon, stating that it sends a message that only certain lives matter and allows citizens to be killed with impunity based on differing political views.
Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza condemned the pardon, accusing the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles and Governor Abbott of prioritizing politics over justice. Garza asserted that the decision undermines the legal system and called for accountability.
However, Governor Abbott defended the pardon, citing Texas' strong stand your ground laws and emphasizing that the jury's decision can't nullify these laws. Perry's attorney expressed Perry's elation upon being released from prison following the pardon.
