Less than 24 hours after a jury in Austin convicted him of murder in the shooting of a protester, Gov. Greg Abbott announced on social media Saturday that he will pardon Army Sgt. Daniel Perry as soon as a request “hits my desk.”
Perry shot and killed Garrett Foster in July 2020 during a Black Lives Matter protest downtown in a case in which Perry’s defense team argued that Perry, who was in Austin to drive Uber while at Fort Hood, fired to protect himself.
Abbott’s pardon tweet published less than 24 hours after FOX TV host Tucker Carlson called out the governor on his broadcast and on Twitter to say that Texas did not to recognize the right of self-defense. Carlson told viewers that he had invited Abbott to appear on the show on Monday to ask if he was considering pardon.
More: Jury finds Daniel Perry guilty of murder
On Saturday, the governor let Carlson know that he was pushing for a pardon.
A jury convicted Perry of murder, and state District Judge Clifford Brown is set to sentence him to prison in coming days. He faces up to life in prison.
More: Lead detective: I didn’t arrest Daniel Perry because self-defense was possibility
The verdict instantly galvanized supporters on social media, including from Kyle Rittenhouse, who was found not guilty in the death of two protesters in Wisconsin in 2020.
“(Gov. Abbott) this is an unfair conviction please step in and free Daniel Perry,” Rittenhouse wrote on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Garrett Foster death: Texas governor says he will pardon Daniel Perry
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