In a stunning turn of events, Daniel Perry, a former Army sergeant convicted of murdering a Black Lives Matter protester in Austin in 2020, was released from prison just hours after Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a pardon proclamation.
The rapid-fire developments unfolded in less than two hours, with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles recommending a pardon and Abbott granting it, leading to Perry’s release from the Mac Stringfellow Unit in Rosharon. Perry, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison, may also be eligible to have his record expunged.
– Texas Governor’s Pardon of Daniel Perry, Who Killed Black Lives Matter Activist, Draws Widespread Criticism and Outrage
Perry’s case drew national attention after he shot and killed Garrett Foster, a 28-year-old protester, during a racial justice demonstration on Congress Avenue in July 2020.
Perry claimed self-defense, but prosecutors argued that he had sought out confrontation. The pardon has sparked outrage, with Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza condemning the decision as “politics over justice” and a “mockery of our legal system.”
Foster’s partner, Whitney Mitchell, expressed heartbreak and anger, stating that the pardon sends a message that “only certain lives matter” and makes the community less safe.
The pardon has also raised questions about the influence of conservative figures and the role of politics in the criminal justice system. Abbott’s decision has been criticized as a rare and controversial move, with gubernatorial pardons in Texas typically being granted for nonviolent crimes.
