John

In a shocking attack on justice, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a pardon to Daniel Perry, who was convicted of murdering Black Lives Matter protester Garrett Foster by a unanimous jury and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

This outrageous abuse of the gubernatorial pardon power cannot be allowed to stand. The U.S. Department of Justice must intervene by federally prosecuting Perry to the fullest extent of the law.

The facts of this case are clear and damning. In July 2020, Perry deliberately drove his car into a crowd of peaceful protesters in Austin, Texas. When Foster approached his vehicle, Perry fired five shots, killing the unarmed man. Throughout his trial, overwhelming evidence emerged painting Perry as a racist vigilante. His social media posts referred to BLM protesters as "animals" and expressed his desire to "catch" a Black person. He even stated his intention to "kill a few people" on his way to work.

This was not an act of self-defense, it was a premeditated, racially-motivated execution that must be met with the full force of federal justice to ensure that such blatant acts of hate are unequivocally condemned and prosecuted.

Tell Attorney General Garland to make it clear that he stands on the side of justice by throwing the full weight of the DOJ behind prosecuting Daniel Perry.

A jury of Perry's peers saw through his cynical claims of justification and unanimously convicted him of murder, as the evidence demanded. But now, Governor Abbott dares to wipe away this verdict with the stroke of a pen, using his pardon power to endorse racist violence and undermine the rule of law.

This cannot be tolerated in a nation built on principles of equal justice.

Fortunately, the Supreme Court has firmly established that a state pardon does not preclude federal prosecution for the same acts under the dual sovereignty doctrine. This means Attorney General Merrick Garland and the DOJ can bring federal civil rights charges against Daniel Perry and hold him accountable for his crime.

Failure to do so would send a dangerous message that politically motivated, racist violence by vigilantes is not just acceptable, but will be rewarded and lionized by those in power. The federal government must act as a check against this abuse of gubernatorial power and make clear that Perry's actions were not just illegal, but an attack on the most fundamental constitutional rights.

Tell The Department of Justice to immediately open a federal investigation, convene a grand jury, and aggressively Perry for violating Garrett Foster's civil rights.

Let’s keep fighting to uphold the Fourteenth Amendment's promise of equal protection and defend the right to peacefully protest without fear of being murdered by racist extremists.

- DFA AF Team