Texas governor's intention to pardon Daniel Perry takes on a racist, white supremacist perspective
https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-governor-of-texas-wants-to-pardon.html
It's been difficult to get a handle on this particular case based on the information that has come out during the trial of Daniel Perry in Austin, Texas, on murder charges. Perry, a 33 year old, ex-army sergeant, was driving for Uber in downtown Austin when he encountered a protest against police brutality in the wake of the George Floyd murder. He honked at the protesters, then drove his car into the crowd near 28 year old Garrett Foster, an Air Force veteran who was legally carrying an AK-47. Perry, who was also armed, shot Foster and fled the scene, later calling police and claiming that Foster had threatened him with his weapon, leading to a self-defense shooting.
The jury correctly perceived that Perry did not shoot in self defense, as he claimed, since he had been the aggressor, driving his car into the crowd. Perry claimed that Foster had "raised his rifle" toward him, posing a legitimate threat under Texas's "stand your ground" law, permitting use of a firearm for self defense if there is perceived danger. But the jury wasn't convinced, since witnesses said Foster didn't threaten with his weapon, and at any rate, Perry had just driven his car right into the protest, making him the aggressor.
ringing in the racist texts and social media comments made by Perry in the past was part of the sentencing phase of the trial. The defense, of course, is trying to prove that Perry, who also happens to be Jewish, is a good ole boy. Texas can sentence someone to life in prison for murder, even at this level, where five years would be standard. Not only do these comments put the potential sentence in perspective, and underline the fact that the jury got this right, it sure makes Abbott look bad. He already had his mind made up, and wasn't going to change it.
The governor has been siding with Perry and pushing for a pardon since this started, before the revelation of Perry's racist comments. Why would a governor who had previously been the Attorney General, want to interfere with a jury trial and overturn the results of the rule of law? I haven't observed much respect coming from Greg Abbott for the rule of law. This is a repeat of the Kyle Rittenhouse farce, except this time, there wasn't any evidence that the victim threatened the shooter, who was using a car as a weapon along with his assault rifle. Many of the protesters were African American, and it was being led by Black Lives Matter. Of course Governor Abbott would side with a racist shooter aiming to take out protesters.