After an Austin jury found Daniel Perry guilty of shooting and killing a protester, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced just a few hours later on social media that he planned to pardon Perry as soon as the request hit his desk. The announcement created waves of both support and astonishment, sparkling discussions about the controversial decision.
The case of Perry, an Army sergeant and Uber driver, centered on his actions on the night of July 25, 2020, when he ran a red light and drove into a Black Lives Matter march. Garrett Foster, a protester carrying an AK-47 rifle, was among a group that approached Perry's car. Perry claimed that Foster threatened him by raising the barrel of his rifle, prompting him to shoot Foster five times with a .357 revolver through the window of his car before driving away.
Throughout the trial, Perry's defense team argued that he acted in self-defense, while prosecutors maintained that Perry instigated the altercation. The latter cited social media posts and messages in which Perry made statements that they argued indicated him deen ready to commit violence, including one in which he said he might "kill a few people on my way to work" due to the protests outside his apartment complex.
The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution, convicting Perry of murder while finding him not guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a charge that stemmed from him driving in front of a different protester. He now faces a minimum five years and up to life in prison, pending sentencing by State District Judge Clifford Brown in the coming days.
Abbott however cited Texas' "Stand your ground" laws as the basis for his decision, stating that "Texas has one of the strongest self-defense laws in the nation, and it cannot be nullified by a jury or progressive district attorney."
In response to the announcement, many have criticized Abbott's decision to intervene in the legal process, arguing that it undermines the justice system and sets a dangerous precedent.
"This was clearly premeditated," Foster’s brother, Ryan Foster, told US media. "He (Perry) thought a lot about it and planned on doing it. ... He wanted to kill a protester and saw somebody exercising their Second Amendment right."
David Wahlberg, a former Travis County criminal court judge, called the move "outrageously presumptuous," adding that "it's not appropriate for someone to make a judgment about the verdict of 12 unanimous jurors without hearing the evidence in person", putting a stress on the fact that Abbott didn't attend any part of case hearings.
Abbott has also faced backlash from gun-control advocates, who argue that his decision to pardon Perry sends a dangerous message about the use of firearms in self-defense.
Despite these criticisms, Abbott has remained firm in his stance, stating that he has already asked the Board of Pardons and Paroles to review Perry's case and make a recommendation, which allow him to execute parole.
Doug O’Connell, who represents Perry, told a US media outlet that "... I visited Daniel in jail... he is devastated. He spoke to me about his fears that he will never get to hug his mother again... that his conviction will end his Army service. He loves being a soldier."