The recent pardon sought by Texas Governor Greg Abbott for Daniel Perry, a U.S. Army sergeant convicted of murder, has sparked controversy and criticism from legal experts and jurors alike, ABC 13 reported. Perry was convicted in connection with a shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020, where he shot and killed Garrett Foster, who was legally carrying an AK-47.
Daniel Perry Pardoned by Gov. Greg Abbot Criticized by Juror
An alternate juror in Daniel Perry’s trial, Jere Dowell, has spoken out against Abbott’s pardon, calling it an “egregious overreach” and expressing concern that it could undermine due process and democracy. Dowell, who did not have a vote in convicting Perry but was present during deliberations, stated in an interview with AP News that prosecutors had presented a convincing case against Daniel Perry.
She expressed her agreement with the verdict handed down by the jury and criticized Abbott’s rush for a pardon, calling it a “travesty.” Dowell’s comments mark the first time a juror has spoken publicly since Abbott announced his intention to seek a pardon for Perry, a move that has been widely condemned by legal experts and prosecutors.
Daniel Perry, who was on active duty and working as a ride-share driver at the time of the shooting, still awaits sentencing from a judge and faces up to life in prison. Dowell, who stated that she had not previously supported Abbott politically, voiced concern that the governor’s involvement in the case could influence other jurors to second-guess their decision. She emphasized that a governor publicly stating that the jury made the wrong decision could have a detrimental impact on the integrity of the judicial process.
The trial itself had received little national attention until Abbott’s tweet announcing his intention to seek a pardon, and the governor had not previously commented on the case publicly. Abbott has not provided further elaboration on how he reached his conclusion about Daniel Perry’s case, referring questions to his statement on Twitter. This has raised questions about the appropriateness and legality of his intervention in the judicial process.
READ ALSO: Texas House Rejects Governor Abbott’s Push For School Vouchers
Topic On Daniel Perry’s Trial
The circumstances leading up to the shooting, which was captured on video that was streamed live on Facebook, were a core question in Daniel Perry’s trial. Witnesses testified that Foster did not raise his rifle at Daniel Perry, and prosecutors argued that Perry could have driven away instead of using deadly force. Daniel Perry did not testify, but his defense attorneys claimed that he shot in self-defense after Foster pointed his gun at him.
In conclusion, the recent pardon sought by Texas Governor Greg Abbott for Daniel Perry, a convicted murderer, has drawn criticism from legal experts and jurors, including Jere Dowell, an alternate juror in Daniel Perry’s trial. Dowell described Abbott’s rush for a pardon as an “egregious overreach” and expressed concern that it could undermine due process and democracy. Abbott’s intervention in the case, which has received little national attention until now, has raised questions about the integrity of the judicial process and the appropriateness of a governor publicly challenging a jury’s decision. The outcome of Daniel Perry’s case and Abbott’s pardon request remains to be seen, but it has certainly sparked controversy and debate.
READ ALSO: Human Smuggling In Texas: Border Agents Busted Almost 60 Migrants Loaded In A Penske Truck
