Outgoing Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe (D) estimates he’s pardoned more than 700 mostly non-violent offenders during his time in office. Now he’s adding his own son to that count.
Beebe told local TV station KATV on Wednesday that he planned to pardon his son’s decade-old felony marijuana conviction.
“I would have done it a long time ago if he’d have asked, but he took his sweet time about asking,” Beebe told KATV. “He was embarrassed. He’s still embarrassed, and frankly, I was embarrassed and his mother was embarrassed.”
Kyle Beebe, 34, was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver in 2003 and sentenced to three years of probation and fines, according to the news station. Gov. Beebe was serving as the state’s attorney general at the time.
The Arkansas Parole Board recommended the governor’s son for pardon on Oct. 20. A spokesman for the board told KATV that Kyle Beebe “did not receive any special treatment” while his application for a pardon was being considered.
“At the time of my arrest I was living in a fantasy world, not reality. I was young and dumb,” Kyle Beebe wrote in a letter to his father asking for pardon, as quoted by KATV. “At that time in my life I felt like I was missing something and I tried to fill that emptiness by selling drugs.”
“I am asking for a second chance to be a better son to my parents and prove to them that I am the person they raised me to be,” the letter continued.
All marijuana convictions should be pardoned, not just those of a Governor’s son.
Well said. And cut the groveling routine as well… His contrite letter sounds like something out of Reefer Madness.
I’m fine with that if he pardons all prisoners with the same or lesser drug offenses.
The Governor is a Democrat. But regardless of party, I agree with you that he needs to pardon all marijuana convictions.
Will you pardon my error?