Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Seeks to 'Swiftly' Pardon Man Found Guilty of Murdering BLM Protester

The Governor says: "Texas has one of the strongest 'Stand Your Ground' laws of self-defense that cannot be nullified by a jury"

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has requested a pardon for U.S. Army Sgt. Daniel Perry, who was convicted Friday of murdering Black Lives Matter protester Garrett Foster in 2020.

Perry, 35, was found guilty of murder but acquitted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon following the July 25, 2020 shooting at a protest for George Floyd in downtown Austin, according to a news release from the Travis County District Attorney's Office (TCDA).

The verdict led Gov. Abbott to push for a pardon. A statement posted by the governor on Twitter said he was "working as swiftly as Texas law allows" to pardon Perry, because "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."

According to Gov. Abbott, the "Texas Constitution limits the governor's pardon authority to only act on a recommendation by the Board of Pardons and Paroles. Texas law does allow the Governor to request the Board of Pardons and Paroles to determine if a person should be granted a pardon."

The Governor said: "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."

Gov. Abbott also said he had "already prioritized reining in rogue District Attorneys, and the Texas Legislature is working laws to achieve that goal."

Related:Texas Army Sergeant Found Guilty of Murdering Black Lives Matter Protester in 2020

Perry was convicted after the prosecution argued he had provoked a group of marching protesters when he ran a red light, driving toward them during a demonstration, according to CBS Austin.

"Garrett Foster had every right to go up to him and see what the heck was going on," the prosecutor stated. "And he had every right to do it with a deadly weapon, his rifle, because [Perry] was in a deadly weapon, his car."

Perry's attorney argued self-defense, claiming that Foster, 28, raised his AK-47 rifle first, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Witnesses testified that Foster never raised his weapon before Perry fired five shots, hitting Foster multiple times.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

The prosecutor presented evidence refuting Perry's claim that the crowd swarmed his car, as well as his social media posts expressing disdain for protesters and discussion of how someone could get away with shooting them in Texas.

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said Gov. Abbott's push for a pardon was "deeply troubling," in a statement shared with KXAN. "In our legal system, a jury that gets to decide whether a defendant is guilty or innocent – not the Governor," Garza said.

Garrett's father Stephen Foster said outside the courthouse that his family is "happy with the verdict and also very sorry for (Perry's) family as well," according to the Statesman.

A deadly conduct charge against Perry remains pending, according to TCDA.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.