Army Sgt. Daniel Perry, 33, was found guilty of murder by a Travis County jury on Friday, almost three years after he fatally shot Austin protester Garrett Foster during a July 2020 protest in downtown Austin. Perry had been indicted for murder, aggravated assault, and deadly conduct charges in 2021, and the jury also deliberated for 17 hours before finding him not guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The murder indictment came a year after Texans took to the streets to protest police brutality following the death of George Floyd. Perry was driving for Uber when he stopped his car and honked at people protesting in the street. Seconds later, he drove his car into the crowd, and then shot and killed Foster, who was carrying an AK-47 rifle, which was legal. While there are conflicting accounts as to whether Foster raised the rifle to Perry first, Perry claimed he shot in self-defense after Foster aimed his weapon at him.
The case ignited debates over Texas’ “stand your ground” law, which allows individuals to use deadly force against someone else if they feel they are in danger. Perry’s social media posts about retaliating against protesters raised questions about his state of mind and his self-defense claim. Witnesses said that Perry seemed to drive threateningly into the crowd before shots were fired, and his actions appeared intentional.
Judge Clifford Brown said that Perry could face a sentencing hearing as early as next Tuesday, and he could be sentenced to at least five years in prison. A murder conviction in Texas can result in a life sentence.
Source: Yahoo
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