Arkansas Gov Will Pardon Son's Pot Conviction

The worst thing about having a famous and powerful dad? The extra notoriety surrounding your marijuana conviction. The best? Having dad make said marijuana conviction go away. Such is the case of Kyle Beebe, the 34-year-old son of Mike Beebe, who happens to be governor of Arkansas and as such plans to pardon his son for his 2003 conviction of marijuana possession with intent to deliver. To be fair, the younger Beebe paid a fine, served three years' probation, and wrote a lengthy letter making his case, reports CNN. "Mr. Governor, I am asking for a second chance at life," wrote Kyle Beebe. "I am asking for a second chance to be the man that I know that I can be."

Kyle Beebe also has the state parole board's backing. Says his dad: "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." Snarks New York mag, while noting that the pardon will scrub Beebe's record clean: "Also, dad, you totally promised you would do this for me if I didn't tell mom that it was really you who scratched the Range Rover!" The elder Beebe has issued some 700 pardons, the majority of which are for nonviolent offenders. (More Mike Beebe stories.)