The Texas Parole Board rescinded its recommendation to Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott to posthumously pardon George Floyd for a 2004 conviction on a minor drug charge on Thursday, citing a “procedural error,” the Texas Tribune reports.
The governor’s office cited “procedural errors” as the reason the board rescinded Floyd’s and 23 other recommendations for commutations, although they did not specify what those errors were. The governor’s office, however, left the door open for the board to resubmit its recommendations in the future.
“The Board will review and resolve procedural errors and issues related to any pending applications in compliance with their rules,” Abbott press secretary Renae Eze said in a statement. “As a result of the Board’s withdrawal of the recommendation concerning George Floyd, Governor Abbott did not have the opportunity to consider it. Governor Abbott will review all recommendations that the Board submits for consideration.”
Advocates for Floyd’s commutation, however, not that the recommendation went through a compliance review before being reviewed by the parole board, with all seven board members voting to endorse it.
Floyd was murdered in May 2020 by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and possibly others after being detained for allegedly passing a counterfeit bill. Three other Minneapolis police officers will stand trial in the case in 2022.