Texas Governor Affirms ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law with Pardon of Army Sgt. Convicted in BLM Protest Shooting

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a pardon to U.S. Army Sergeant Daniel Perry, citing the state’s Stand Your Ground laws and the right of self-defense. Perry was convicted by a Travis County court in April 2023 for shooting and killing Garret Foster during a Black Lives Matter protest.

“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,” Abbott said in a written statement on Thursday.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a unanimous recommendation following what Abbott called “an exhaustive review” of Sgt. Perry’s personal history and the facts surrounding the incident during the July 2020 Black Lives Matter protest where Perry shot and killed protester Garret Foster.