Texas Gov. Abbott issues full pardon for Army sergeant who killed BLM protester

Texas Gov. Abbott has issued a full pardon for a former U.S. Army Sergeant convicted of murder in the shooting death of an armed protester in a 2020 Black Lives Matter march.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday issued a full pardon for a former U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder in the shooting death of an armed protester in a 2020 Black Lives Matter march.  

The move by Abbott comes after a unanimous recommendation by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. 

"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," Abbott said in a statement. 

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"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."

Perry was convicted in April in the 2020 shooting of 28-year-old Garrett Foster, who was legally carrying an AK-47 rifle through downtown Austin during a summer of nationwide riots.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report.