There is a man who was just convicted of murder that Gov. Abbott wants to pardon
A Travis County Sheriff’s Office Indictment of Greg Abbott, 35, for Shooting a White Man at a Black Lives Matter Demonstration
Greg Abbott says he is working on a pardon for the soldier who killed a protester at a Black Lives Matter rally.
The White army Sergeant and driver was indicted with murder in Austin, Texas for shooting and killing a White man who was at a Black Lives Matter protest. He was accused of using a deadly weapon at the protest and of being disorderly at the protest.
A Travis County jury convicted Perry, 35, of murder on Friday. The jury found him not guilty of being involved in an assault with a deadly weapon, but the case is still pending with the county attorney’s office.
The pardon process “is outside our control,” he added in response to Abbott’s tweet. He said Perry’s legal team is focused on “the upcoming sentencing hearing and marshaling evidence related to Sgt. The character and service of the man.
The prosecution argued that Perry initiated the encounter by running a red light to turn into the crowd gathered for the police brutality protest and had previously posted on social media about shooting protesters, according to CNN affiliate KEYE.
The governor didn’t go into detail about why he believes Perry should be pardoned, but he cited Perry’s attorney’s explanation that Perry shot Foster in self-defense.
Texas has one of the strongest “Stand Your Ground” laws that can’t be broken by a jury or a district attorney, Abbott said.
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office Observes a Controversy Investigation Into Abbott’s Corrupt Procedural Action
The agency said that the board would start the investigation immediately. “Upon completion, the board will report to the governor on the investigation and make recommendations to the governor.”
Travis County District Attorney José Garza says it is “deeply troubling” that Abbott is intervening in the case, noting that the legal process around the case isn’t yet complete.
“In this case, a jury of twelve listened to testimony for nearly two weeks, upending their lives to painstakingly evaluate the evidence and arguments presented by both the State and the Defense,” Garza said in a statement emailed to NPR.
