Gov. Greg Abbott previously has said he will seek a pardon for Daniel Perry.
Before Abbott could, the former Army sergeant, 35, needed to be sentenced for the fatal shooting of Garrett Foster in downtown Austin. Perry was convicted of murder on April 7.
Foster was shot by Perry while he participated in a demonstration against police in July 2020. He was carrying a semiautomatic rifle at the time. Perry alleged Foster, 28, pointed it at him and said he responded by shooting him with a handgun.
During sentencing Wednesday, Perry was given a 25-year sentence by Criminal Courts Judge Clifford Brown. Perry’s attorneys had asked for a 10-year sentence.
Abbott did not immediately weigh in after the sentence.
On April 8, the day after the murder verdict, Abbott tweeted that he wanted to pardon Perry based on Texas’ stand-your-ground law. He asked the Board of Pardons and Paroles to consider the matter.
“This man is a loaded gun, ready to go off at any perceived threat. He’s going to do it again,” Travis County Assistant District Attorney Guillermo Gonzalez told Brown during Tuesday’s hearing, according to a report from ABC News.
Foster’s mother and sister spoke during the sentencing hearing.
“After three long years, we’re finally getting justice for Garrett,” his mother, Sheila Foster, testified, according to ABC.