Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently pardoned U.S. Army Sergeant Daniel Perry, who was convicted last year of shooting and killing Garret Foster during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020. However, Abbott asserted that Perry’s conduct was in accordance with the state’s Stand Your Ground laws and the right to self-defense.
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles reportedly issued a unanimous recommendation for Sgt. Perry. According to Gov. Abbott, “an exhaustive review” was performed of Perry, assessing his personal history and the circumstances surrounding the incident in which Foster was shot and killed.
“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,” Abbott said.
Abbott further emphasized that Texas’ Stand Your Ground Laws and right to self-defense cannot be compromised. “Among the voluminous files reviewed by the Board, they considered information provided by the Travis County District Attorney, the full investigative report on Daniel Perry, plus a review of all the testimony provided at trial,” per the governor’s statement. “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.”
The Pardon Proclamation from Abbott detailed the precarious situation Perry found himself in, where he was threatened by a group of protestors who were obstructing traffic. “WHEREAS, on July 25, 2020, Daniel Scott Perry, while driving on a public road in Austin, slowed his vehicle as he rounded a corner onto Congress Avenue and encountered a group of protestors obstructing traffic; and WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry’s car was immediately surrounded by aggressive protestors who rushed to obstruct, strike, pound, smash, and kick his vehicle,” it read in part.
The incident escalated when Foster, who was brandishing a firearm, approached the vehicle. “WHEREAS, Garrett Foster then approached within 18 inches of Daniel Scott Perry’s car, confronted him, and brandished a Kalashnikov-style rifle in the low-ready firing position,” the statement continued.
It was at this point Perry shot Foster, claiming he acted in self-defense as he feared for his life. “WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry fired his handgun at Garrett Foster to eliminate a perceived threat to his safety and called law enforcement less than one minute later to inform them of the incident; and WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry explained to law enforcement at the time that he used his weapon because he feared losing his life and has since consistently stated that he acted in self-defense,” the proclamation added.
The governor further criticized Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza for allegedly “reducing access to guns” that could be used by citizens in self-defense. Abbott claimed Garza had withheld evidence from the Grand Jury and was blinded by political bias, preventing justice from being carried out.
The district attorney slammed Abbott’s pardon, claiming it undermines the legal system. “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,” the district attorney said in a statement. “They have sent the message that the service of the Travis County community members who served on the grand jury and trial jury does not matter. ”
Featured image credit: By World Travel & Tourism Council – Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54703342
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