Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe said his son has learned from his mistakes. Arkansas governor to pardon own son

Outgoing Democrat Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe says he is planning to pardon his own son for a decade-old pot conviction.

“I would have done it a long time ago if he’d have asked, but he took his sweet time about asking. He was embarrassed. He’s still embarrassed, and frankly, I was embarrassed and his mother was embarrassed,” Beebe told KATV, ABC’s affiliate in Little Rock on Wednesday.


Beebe’s son Kyle was charged in 2003 with possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, with intent to deliver and sentenced to three years probation and fined, the outlet said. Beebe was serving as the state’s attorney general at the time.

“If he broke the law, he needs to pay for it. He needs to be treated like everybody else — no better, worse,” Beebe said at the time.

However, Beebe said his son, now 34, has learned from his mistakes.

“Kids when they’re young do stupid stuff. He was no different,” said Beebe, who noted that he’s issued more than 700 pardons during his tenure. “Especially young people with drugs if they’ve straightened up, to get their life back on track and have a second chance, so this is no different. It’s different because it’s my son.”

A spokesman for the state’s parole board told KATV that the fact Kyle Beebe is the governor’s son played no role in the decision to approve his application for a pardon.

“I can tell you that [Kyle] Beebe did not receive any special treatment by the Board while his application was under consideration,” the spokesman said.

Kyle Beebe was recommended for pardoning in October. He wrote in a letter to his father asking for the pardon that, “living in a fantasy world, not reality. I was young and dumb.”

According to the governor’s website, someone who is granted a pardon may have all of their rights restored, including the right to bear arms.

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Mike Beebe