Carson City, NV – Attorney General Aaron D. Ford announced his participation in a coalition of 13 attorneys general urging the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to open a civil rights investigation into the July 2020 murder of Garrett Foster. Foster was protesting racial injustice when he was shot and killed by Daniel Perry in Austin, Texas. Although a jury found Perry guilty of murder in April 2023, Texas Governor Greg Abbott pardoned him earlier this month, citing Texas’ “Stand Your Ground” law.
In a letter to the DOJ, AG Ford and the coalition requested an investigation into whether Perry violated federal criminal civil rights laws when he killed Foster.
“The murder of Garrett Foster, a man who was protesting ongoing racial injustices, was a tragedy and a horrible crime,” said AG Ford. “In the interest of seeing justice done, I urge the Department of Justice to investigate this matter. Actions like Daniel Perry’s should not be quietly dismissed.”
In June 2020, Foster participated in a protest against racial injustice in Austin when Perry drove his car into a crowd of protesters. Foster approached Perry’s car to protect fellow protesters, and Perry opened fire, killing him.
During his trial, Perry claimed self-defense as Foster had been legally carrying a firearm. However, evidence suggested that Perry intended to disrupt peaceful protests. His internet history showed searches about federal ballistics information and premeditated messages about potentially shooting looters.
Less than 24 hours after Perry’s conviction in 2023, Governor Abbott announced his intent to pardon him on social media. In the following year, several elected officials who opposed racial justice protests supported calls for Perry’s pardon.
AG Ford and the coalition expressed concern that Governor Abbott’s pardon signals that “stand your ground” laws could protect vigilantes targeting racial justice protests with lethal force. They argue these laws are linked with increased homicide rates.
Despite being pardoned in Texas, federal prosecution remains possible for preventing Foster from exercising his constitutional right to peacefully protest. The coalition emphasized that DOJ has historically used federal civil rights laws to prosecute hate crimes when states fail to hold perpetrators accountable.
Joining AG Ford are attorneys general from New York, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont and the District of Columbia.
