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April 14 (UPI) -- A Texas Army sergeant who was convicted of murdering a Black Lives Matter protester repeatedly sent racist memes and defended the killing of protesters and Muslims, new court documents show. The private messages sent by Daniel Perry were filed to the court on March 27 and unsealed by a Travis County judge on Thursday, the Houston Chronicle reported. Perry was convicted of murder last week after killing Garrett Foster at racial justice rally in July 2020.
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Before Perry was convicted, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Saturday that he would recommend Perry be pardoned because his actions are covered by stand-your-ground laws in Texas.
Perry's lawyers said during his eight-day trial that the 28-year-old Foster raised his weapon at Perry before he was shot dead and that the soldier had fired in self-defense. But witnesses said Foster never raised his weapon, and no video or photos shown at the trial indicated that he did.
The newly revealed messages show Perry had repeatedly sent White-power memes and told a friend on Facebook that he "might have to kill a few people" who were rioting outside his apartment.
He also sent a message in 2019 that said it was "to bad we can't get paid for hunting Muslims in Europe."
Abbott, who once joked about shooting reporters, said in a statement on Twitter that he would be "working as swiftly as Texas law allows: to pardon Daniel Perry."
"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," Abbott tweeted.
He said Texas law allows him to request that the Board of Pardons and Paroles determine whether a person should be granted a pardon. Texas law only allows the governor the ability to issue a pardon after a recommendation has been made by the board.
"I have made that request and instructed the board to expedite its review," Abbott said, adding that he would approve it "as soon as it hits my desk."
