The murder conviction of an Uber driver in the July 2020 shooting death of a man at a Black Lives Matter rally in downtown Austin, the state capital, was announced by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Saturday. Abbott said he is now seeking the pardon of the driver.
In a tweet, Abbott declared that he would pardon 37-year-old U.S. Army soldier Daniel Perry as soon as the parole board’s proposal “hits my desk.”
The Republican governor stated that while he is permitted to request pardons, he can only give them upon the Board of Pardons and Paroles of the state’s recommendation.
On whether the shooting was justified by self-defense, the case turned. According to the Austin American-Statesman newspaper, a jury found on Friday that white man Perry killed white man Garrett Foster, 28, who was carrying an AK-47.
The night of the incident, Perry was reportedly driving in the city when he turned his Uber car onto a street where a Black Lives Matter demonstration was taking place. Foster and other protesters approached Perry’s car after he halted. According to media reports, protesters told police that they thought they were being assaulted with the truck.
According to Perry’s defense team, he was forced to use his pistol in self-defense after the weapon was leveled at him, according to the newspaper. Perry’s lawyers were unavailable for comment when contacted by phone or email.
According to reports in the media, Perry was found guilty of murder after the jury debated for 17 hours during the eight-day trial.
Abbott stated on Twitter that he will “act as quickly as Texas law permits on the pardon of Sgt. Perry.”
Texas has one of the most robust “Stand your ground” statutes for self-defense, according to him, and it cannot be overturned by a judge or a reform-minded district attorney. Also, the Texas Legislature is developing laws to accomplish the purpose of controlling rogue district attorneys, which I have previously prioritized.
Must Check:
- Police In Winona Say That Formal Inquiries Into The Disappearance Of Kingsbury Are Now Over
- The Police Arrested A 16-year-old Third Suspect In The Shooting Fatalities Of Three Teenagers In Marion County
Democrat Jose Garza has served as Travis County’s district attorney since January 1, 2021. Travis County is home to Austin and is where the case was prosecuted.
After the verdict was announced, Perry cried and put his head in the chest of one of his attorneys, according to a story in the Austin-American Statesman.
“We’re pleased with the decision. We also feel terrible for his family. According to the newspaper, the victim’s father, Stephen Foster, said that nobody had won this.
According to online court records for the 147th District Court in Travis County, Texas, Perry will be sentenced by State District Court Judge Clifford Brown on Tuesday and faces life in prison.
For more latest updates and news, you can follow our website,Poptopnews.com.