Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas pardons an ex-sergeant found guilty of murder in the 2020 BLM protest shooting

Texas Governor Greg Abbott fully pardoned former U.S. Army Sergeant Daniel Perry on Thursday. Perry was found guilty of murdering an armed protestor during the 2020 demonstrations against racial inequality and police brutality.

Shortly after the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles unanimously approved Perry’s pardon and the restoration of his weapons privileges, Abbott made his statement. After his conviction in 2023, Perry was incarcerated in state prison for 25 years.

A jury in Austin found Perry guilty of killing 28-year-old Garrett Foster in 2023. Foster was an Air Force veteran who was lawfully carrying an AK-47 while taking part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration. In July 2020, Perry—a ride-sharing driver—turned his vehicle onto a roadway packed with protesters, fired a shot at Foster, and then drove off.

During the political upheaval and riots of 2020, which included thousands of nonviolent marches in response to the police assassination of George Floyd, Perry’s case was one of at least 25 killings. Conservatives used the issue as a focal point and pushed the governor to guarantee Perry’s release.

In the weeks preceding the shooting, Perry exchanged white nationalist memes, sent racist communications about protestors, and discussed the possibility of needing to kill demonstrators, according to court documents made public in April. Perry likened the BLM movement to “a zoo full of monkeys that are freaking out flinging their shit” in a 76-page filing.

Following pressure from former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson, who pushed Abbott to step in following Perry’s conviction in April 2022, Governor Abbott decided to examine Perry’s case. Carlson devoted a segment to the case, criticizing progressive prosecutors and labeling it a “legal atrocity.” Abbott made the review public the next day.

Similar support had been given by right-wing organizations and individuals such as Carlson to Kyle Rittenhouse, who in 2020 shot and killed two demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Wisconsin. After pleading self-defense and being found not guilty of murder, Rittenhouse has gone on to support firearms rights and give conservative speeches.

Abbott emphasized Texas’s “stand your ground” rules of self-defense and applauded the board’s recommendation to pardon Perry.

Prosecutors contended that Perry could have drove away without pulling a gun during his trial. According to witness testimony, Foster never raised his revolver. Foster, according to Perry’s defense team, elevated the weapon, forcing Perry to fire. Jurors debated for two days before finding Perry guilty despite Perry’s lack of testimony.