A US Army sergeant who killed a Black Lives Matter (BLM) protester nearly three years ago has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Daniel Perry had been convicted by a Travis County jury of Garrett Foster’s murder last month.
Perry, who has previously served in Afghanistan was working as an Uber driver when he drove his car into a swarm of BLM protesters on July 25, 2020. Perry claimed that he fired his .357 revolver at Foster after the latter pointed an AK-47 towards him.
The prosecutors, however, argued that witnesses on the spot said Foster never raised the weapon and that he was pushing his fiancée’s wheelchair.
The two-day sentencing hearing began on Tuesday as the prosecutors once again highlighted Perry’s text messages and social media posts which showed his hostility towards the BLM movement. Meanwhile, Perry’s colleagues from the army came in for his defence by vouching for his character.
“After three long years we’re finally getting justice for Garrett,” his mother, Sheila Foster, told the court.
After the conviction last month, Perry was staring at a life imprisonment sentence. His lawyers, earlier this month, moved the court seeking a fresh trial – a request which was promptly rejected.
Texas has one of the strongest ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws of self-defence that cannot be nullified by a jury or a progressive District Attorney,” wrote Abbott.
The Republican leader said he is requesting the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles for an expedited review of Perry. Abbott can only pardon a subject if the board recommends it.
“I have made that request and instructed the board to expedite its review. I look forward to approving the board’s pardon recommendation as soon as it hits my desk.”
Abbott also blamed Perry’s conviction on the county’s George Soros-backed Democrat District Attorney José Garza and added that he will be reign in the ‘rogue DA’.
“Additionally, I have already prioritised reining in rogue District Attorneys, and the Texas Legislature is working on laws to achieve that goal.”
(With inputs from agencies)
