Read the Texas Governor’s Pardon

PROCLAMATION
BY THE
Governor of the State of Texas
PROCLAMATION No. 2024-0001
DPS #07666731
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:
WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry, TDCJ #02450686, D.O.B. April 24, 1987, was
sentenced in the 147th District Court in Travis County on May 10, 2023, to twenty-
five years in prison for the offense of Murder, Cause No. D-1-DC-21-900007; and
WHEREAS, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has conducted an exhaustive
review of Daniel Scott Perry’s personal history and the facts surrounding his shooting
of Garrett Foster; and
WHEREAS, both the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and
Article I, Section 23, of the Texas Constitution protect the right to keep and bear arms
for, among other things, self-defense; and
WHEREAS, Texas law, consistent with those constitutional guarantees, provides one of
the clearest self-defense protections in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Texas Penal Code § 9.32(a) provides that a person “is justified in using
deadly force against another” when that person “reasonably believes the deadly force
is immediately necessary” to protect a person against another’s use of unlawful deadly
force; and
WHEREAS, Texas Penal Code § 9.32(c) provides that a person who is otherwise
lawfully present at the location where deadly force is used “is not required to retreat
before using deadly force”; and
WHEREAS, on July 25, 2020, Daniel Scott Perry, while driving on a public road in
Austin, slowed his vehicle as he rounded a corner onto Congress Avenue and
encountered a group of protestors obstructing traffic; and
WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry’s car was immediately surrounded by aggressive
protestors who rushed to obstruct, strike, pound, smash, and kick his vehicle; and
WHEREAS, Garrett Foster then approached within 18 inches of Daniel Scott Perry’s
car, confronted him, and brandished a Kalashnikov-style rifle in the low-ready firing
position; and
WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry fired his handgun at Garrett Foster to eliminate a
perceived threat to his safety and called law enforcement less than one minute later to
inform them of the incident; and
WHEREAS, Daniel Scott Perry explained to law enforcement at the time that he used
his weapon because he feared losing his life and has since consistently stated that he
acted in self-defense; and
WHEREAS, Travis County District Attorney José Garza, rather than upholding the self-
defense rights of citizens, has prioritized “reducing access to guns” that citizens may
use to lawfully defend themselves; and
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE
SECRETARY OF STATE
1:25 PM O’CLOCK
MAY 16 2024