Texas Gov. Greg Abbott gave few pardons before rushing to clear Army officer who killed a protester
By JIM VERTUNO
Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s pardon of a former Army sergeant convicted of murder in the shooting death of a Black Lives Matter protestor was a case of the Republican pushing a limited executive power to its absolute limit to get a desired outcome in a politically charged case. The pardon of Daniel Perry this week satisfied prominent conservatives who had demanded his release. But it also ignited criticism of partisan politics in the justice system. It also raised new questions about how a governor might try to overturn a jury’s verdict in the future.