Texas Governor's Pardon Promise Fails as Army Sergeant Receives 25-Year Sentence for Protester's Murder

Army Sergeant Daniel Perry has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of Garrett Foster, a protester in downtown Austin in July 2020. Perry was convicted last month by a Travis County jury. Texas Governor Greg Abbott had promised to pardon Perry if given the opportunity, but the Board of Pardons and Paroles has to first recommend a pardon before the governor can act on it. Perry claimed self-defense, saying Foster pointed a rifle at him, but prosecutors highlighted text messages and social media posts that showed a hostility toward Black Lives Matter movement.