Gov. Greg Abbott backs call for pardon for Daniel Perry, who killed Austin protester in 2020

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Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to think about recommending a pardon for Daniel Perry on Saturday, sooner or later after a Travis County jury convicted the U.S. Military sergeant within the 2020 homicide of Austin protester Garrett Foster.

After 17 hours of deliberations and an eight-day trial, jurors Friday discovered Perry responsible of homicide for taking pictures and killing Foster, who was armed with an AK-47 as a part of a gaggle protesting police brutality. Perry, an Uber driver, had encountered the protest just a few blocks from the Capitol in downtown Austin.

Below stress from conservatives, Abbott introduced Saturday that he requested the parole board to evaluation Perry’s conviction on an expedited foundation. The Texas Structure, he mentioned, requires the parole board to advocate a pardon earlier than a governor might act.

“I sit up for approving the Board’s pardon suggestion as quickly because it hits my desk,” Abbott mentioned in a statement posted to Twitter.

“Texas has one of many strongest ‘Stand Your Floor’ legal guidelines of self-defense that can’t be nullified by a jury or a progressive District Legal professional,” Abbott added, repeating conservative criticism leveled towards Travis County’s Democratic district lawyer, José Garza.

Previous to Abbott’s announcement, the Republican Social gathering of Texas referred to as on the governor to get entangled.

“This case ought to have by no means been prosecuted. A pardon by [Abbott] is so as,” wrote Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi in a Friday evening post to Twitter.

Tucker Carlson, a conservative commentator on Fox Information, lined Perry’s conviction on his present Friday night. Carlson mentioned he had invited Abbott to debate whether or not he was contemplating a pardon for Perry, however mentioned the governor declined.

“So that’s Greg Abbott’s place, there isn’t any proper of self-defense in Texas,” Carlson instructed his viewers.

Based mostly on parole board suggestions, Abbott granted two pardons in 2022, eight in 2021 and 7 in 2020 — all for decrease degree offenses, together with theft, offering alcohol to a minor, assault by contact, housebreaking of a car, bank card abuse and illegally carrying a firearm.

Perry, discovered responsible of homicide however not responsible of aggravated assault with a lethal weapon, killed Foster throughout a protest towards police brutality on July 25 — one in all many who have been taking place throughout the nation after George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer in Could 2020.

Based on Austin police, Perry was driving for Uber when he stopped his automotive and honked at protesters as they walked by way of the road. Seconds later, he drove his automotive into the gang, police mentioned.

Foster, who was a 28-year-old white man and an Air Pressure veteran, had been seen brazenly carrying an AK-47 rifle on the time, which was authorized. There are conflicting accounts as as to if Foster raised the rifle to the driving force earlier than Perry, who was additionally legally armed, shot and killed Foster and fled the world, police mentioned. He referred to as the police and reported what occurred, claiming he shot in self-defense after Foster aimed his weapon at him. Perry can also be a white man.

Perry’s protection argued that the taking pictures was justified below the state’s “stand your floor” legislation, which permits lethal power for use by those that really feel they’re at risk.

Perry’s earlier social media posts about retaliating towards protesters raised questions in regards to the shooter’s mind-set and his self-defense declare.

In his announcement, Abbott additionally touted laws looking for to take management away from domestically elected prosecutors who he described as “rogue.”

A invoice supposed to rein in district attorneys who decline to pursue sure circumstances handed the Senate on Wednesday. The invoice, a precedence for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, is a part of an effort to restrict the ability of elected prosecutors, particularly in Texas’ largest, left-leaning counties.

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