Texas Governor Greg Abbott granted a complete exoneration and reinstatement of privileges to Daniel Perry, the former Army sergeant previously convicted of murder in the fatal shooting of Garrett Foster during a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest in Austin, Texas, while Perry was working as an Uber driver.

In a statement, Abbott acknowledged the thorough review conducted by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles regarding Perry’s personal background and the circumstances surrounding the July 2020 incident.

“The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles conducted an exhaustive review of U.S. Army Sergeant Daniel Perry’s personal history and the facts surrounding the July 2020 incident and recommended a Full Pardon and Restoration of Full Civil Rights of Citizenship,” said Abbott in a statement.

“Among the voluminous files reviewed by the Board, they considered information provided by the Travis County District Attorney, the full investigative report on Daniel Perry, plus a review of all the testimony provided at trial. Texas has one of the strongest ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive District Attorney. I thank the Board for its thorough investigation, and I approve their pardon recommendation.”

This review included assessments from the Travis County District Attorney, a comprehensive investigative report on Perry, and a thorough examination of trial testimonies. Abbott emphasized Texas’ robust ‘Stand Your Ground’ law, which affirms the right to self-defense, irrespective of jury or prosecutorial discretion.

Encountering an armed assembly affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement during a riot, Perry faced charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

However, the jury acquitted him of the latter charge. Perry’s account to a 911 operator depicted a scenario of being threatened with a weapon after a wrong turn, prompting him to fire shots in self-defense. ‘

Despite Foster being armed, he did not discharge his firearm, although another protester did. Perry’s legal team maintained that he acted in self-defense, attempting to navigate through the crowd and cooperating fully with law enforcement following the incident, including surrendering his phone and social media access without a warrant.