(PatriotNews.net) – Governor Greg Abbott of Texas pardoned Daniel Perry, a man convicted of fatally shooting a Black Lives Matter protester. The incident happened when the protester approached Perry’s vehicle while armed with an AK-47. Perry, a 35-year-old U.S. Army sergeant, was serving a 25-year sentence after being convicted in Travis County.
Perry claimed self-defense and immediately called 911 and surrendered to law enforcement. Governor Abbott stated that the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles conducted a thorough review of Perry’s personal history and the details of the July 2020 incident. They recommended a full pardon and restoration of Perry’s civil rights.
Abbott emphasized Texas’s strong “Stand Your Ground” laws, which support self-defense actions. He thanked the Board for their detailed investigation and approved their recommendation for the pardon.
Detective David Fugitt, who led the investigation, accused District Attorney Jose Garza of unethical behavior. Fugitt alleged that Garza, supported by billionaire Democrat donor George Soros, obstructed the presentation of exculpatory evidence. Fugitt claimed the DA’s office instructed him to remove key evidence from his grand jury presentation, reducing his original 158-slide presentation to just 56 slides.
Garza’s directive to withhold evidence, Fugitt argued, crossed the line from unethical to criminal behavior. This accusation added fuel to the controversy surrounding Perry’s conviction and the pardon.
The Texas State Parole Board, appointed by the governor, unanimously recommended Perry’s release. Critics argue that political pressure influenced the decision, with right-wing figures like Tucker Carlson advocating for Perry’s pardon. Abbott pointed to Texas’s self-defense laws as the primary reason for the pardon, describing Perry’s conviction as a miscarriage of justice.
Whitney Mitchell, Garrett Foster’s fiancée, criticized the pardon, stating it desecrated Foster’s memory and undermined the jury’s verdict. She argued that the decision implied Texans with differing political views could be killed with impunity.
The pardon has sparked a debate about its implications for the criminal justice system in Texas. Some see it as correcting a wrongful conviction, while others worry it sets a dangerous precedent. Reactions vary widely, reflecting the state’s deep political divisions.
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