Garrett Foster death: Texas governor says he forgives Daniel Perry – Austin American-Statesman .

Ava GreyApril 8, 2023

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Less than 24 hours after a jury in Austin found Daniel Perry guilty of shooting a protester to death, Gov. Greg Abbott announced on social media on Saturday that he would pardon the convicted killer as soon as the request “hits my desk”.

The new effort, which Abbott announced to his 1 million followers on Twitter, comes as Abbott faces growing calls from conservative national figures, such as Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Kyle Rittenhouse, who is involved in the shooting deaths of two Wisconsin protesters in 2010. to act strongly on conviction

“Texas has one of the strongest ‘Stand Your Ground’ self-defense laws that cannot be overturned by a jury or progressive district attorney,” Abbas said in a statement. “I will do it as quickly as Texas law allows for the pardon of Sen. Perry.”

Abbott did not return calls from the American-Statesman on Saturday seeking additional comment. The two-week trial, which included dozens of witnesses and forensic evidence, was not aired. Abbot had taken no part in the trial.

Perry, an Army sergeant, was working as an Uber driver in Austin on the night of July 25, 2020, when he ran a red light at the intersection of Fourth Street and Congress Avenue and drove into a Black Lives Matter blocking the road ahead.

Foster, carrying an AK-47, was among a group of protesters who approached his car. Perry told police that Foster pointed the barrel of his gun at him and shot him five times with a .357 revolver through the windows of his car before driving away.

Perry’s defense team argued that he acted in self-defense, but prosecutors argued that Perry instigated it. They made a series of media reports and Facebook messages in which they stated that he had expressed his feelings that “they could kill a few people on my way to work.” There was a commotion outside my apartment. “

The friend replied, “Can you do it right?” Perry replied, “If they attack me or try to drag me out of my car then too.”

Perry was unanimously convicted on Friday.

U.S. District Judge Clifford Brown is scheduled to sentence him to prison in the coming days. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Doug O’Connell, who represents Perry, told Politico in a statement Saturday: “We are now fully prepared for Daniel’s sentencing hearing. I visited Daniel in prison this morning. As you might expect, he was devastated. He told me of his fear that he would never hug his mother again. He is also condemned to end his service in the Army. He loves being a soldier. “

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza had no immediate comment.

Jurors deliberated 17 hours over two days before reaching a verdict Friday afternoon after the eighth day of the trial when dozens of witnesses will testify. Perry did not testify at trial.

Foster’s brother, Ryan Foster, said Saturday that he did not think Perry should be forgiven. “This was clearly premeditated,” Ryan Foster told Politico. “He (Perry) thought a lot about it and thought about doing it… He wanted to kill a protester and he saw someone exercising his Second Amendment right.”

After the judge read the verdict in the courtroom on Friday, Perry, 35, buried his head in his lawyer’s chest and burst into sobs. Jurors also found Perry not guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with shooting in front of another protester.

Perry’s conviction was immediately condemned by attorneys under oath on Friday night.

“(Gov. Abbott) this is a wrongful conviction. Please step in and free Daniel Perry,” Rittenhouse wrote on Twitter. “He was justified in defending his life when the AK-48 was pointed at him, and he does not deserve to be in prison.”

Carlson made the statement during a two-minute segment on the show, referring to the “riotous mob” of protesters who surrounded Perry’s car and began banging on it. Perry said he was fired when he picked up Foster’s weapons.

“This is legally wrong,” Carlson said. “There is no right of defense in Texas.”

He invited Abbott to appear on Monday’s show to decide whether to issue a pardon for Perry.

The abbot lacks the authority under public law to grant pardons, unless first recommended by the Board of Indulgences and Paroles, whose members he appoints. In a statement, Abbott said he has already asked the board to reconsider the decision if Perry is granted clemency.