Outgoing Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe said Wednesday he plans to pardon his son’s felony marijuana conviction, arguing he deserves the same second chance as hundreds of other nonviolent offenders, reports the Associated Press. A spokesman said the two-term Democratic governor would pardon Kyle Beebe, 34, who was convicted in 2003 of felony marijuana possession with intent to deliver. Beebe, who is leaving office in January due to term limits, has issued more than 700 pardons since taking office in 2007.
“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. The state parole board had recommended a pardon for Kyle Beebe in October. He was sentenced to three years supervised probation, $1,150 in fines and court costs and had his driver’s license suspended for six months. Beebe was the state’s attorney general when his son was convicted.