{"id":49301,"date":"2023-04-16T16:21:02","date_gmt":"2023-04-16T16:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/04\/16\/army-sergeant-convicted-of-murder-made-racist-remarks-violent-threats\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:20:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:20:17","slug":"army-sergeant-convicted-of-murder-made-racist-remarks-violent-threats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2023\/04\/16\/army-sergeant-convicted-of-murder-made-racist-remarks-violent-threats\/","title":{"rendered":"Army sergeant convicted of murder made racist remarks, violent threats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s note: This <\/i>article<\/i><\/a> first appeared in <\/i>The Texas Tribune<\/i><\/a>, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans \u2014 and engages with them \u2014 about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. <\/i>Sign up for The Brief<\/i><\/a>, its daily newsletter.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This story contains graphic descriptions of violence.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel Perry, whom Texas Gov. Greg Abbott<\/a> has pledged to pardon<\/a> for the murder of an Austin protester, often made racist comments and regularly made clear his desire to kill protesters in the months leading up to Garrett Foster\u2019s death, according to social media posts and texts contained in newly unsealed court documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On May 29, 2020, days after George Floyd\u2019s murder by a Minneapolis police officer prompted nationwide protests, Perry sent a text message saying, \u201cI might go to Dallas to shoot looters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two days later, according to the records, Perry said in a Facebook message that when he is in Dallas, \u201cno protestors go near me or my car.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan you catch me a negro daddy,\u201d the other man replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat is what I am hoping,\u201d Perry said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In June, Perry sent text messages from an unknown area detailing bars closing and \u201cthe blacks \u2026 gathering up in a group I think something is about to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wonder if they will let my cut the ears off of people who\u2019s decided to commit suicide by me,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The court records<\/a>, released Thursday, contain evidence pulled from Perry\u2019s phone records and social media accounts. Prosecutors had filed the sealed 82-page document in March, but much of it was not brought before jurors. Information depicting a defendant\u2019s character is often not allowed to be introduced while a jury weighs guilt versus innocence, but becomes relevant in a sentencing hearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Army sergeant also sent racist and anti-Muslim messages before and after Floyd\u2019s death. In April 2020, he sent a meme, which included a photo of a woman holding her child\u2019s head under water in the bath, with the text, \u201cWHEN YOUR DAUGHTERS FIRST CRUSH IS A LITTLE NEGRO BOY,\u201d according to the state\u2019s filing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A year earlier, he messaged someone on Facebook looking for weekend work for active duty military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo bad we can\u2019t get paid for hunting Muslims in Europe,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perry\u2019s defense attorney Clint Broden declined to comment on the newly released court documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perry, who is white, was convicted last week in Travis County in the shooting death of Foster in July 2020. Perry drove his car into a group of protesters, including Foster, a white Air Force veteran. Foster was carrying an AK-47, a legal act in Texas. Perry\u2019s attorneys said at trial Foster raised his rifle, prompting Perry to shoot Foster five times through his car window with his handgun. Witnesses said Foster did not raise his rifle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case has become the center of a political firestorm, entrenched in the dangerously divisive rhetoric that often pits police supporters against racial justice advocates. Conservative politicians have rallied to Perry\u2019s side, saying the act was purely self-defense in the face of dangerous protests. They\u2019ve faulted the progressive prosecutor for pursuing the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Less than a day after the conviction, Abbott took the unprecedented step<\/a> of declaring his intent to pardon Perry for the murder, requesting the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles hand him the legally required recommendation as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\t