Some question motivation for Britt Reid’s commuted sentence

Jacob KittilstadPosted: Mar 4, 2024 / 05:20 PM CSTUpdated: Mar 4, 2024 / 07:01 PMKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid entered his fourth day of house arrest Monday after he was freed from prison following a commuted sentence granted by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson.Parson announced the decision in a Friday afternoon email. Britt Reid, son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, was released earlier that morning before that message, according to an email from the Missouri Department of Corrections.So far the governor’s office has only issued a statement, saying that Britt Reid completed an alcohol abuse treatment programs and has served more prison time than other people convicted of similar offenses.FOX4 sent more questions about the decision to the governor’s staff but they haven’t sent a response yet.These moments happened long after the February 2021 wreck on I-435 where Britt Reid, then an assistant coach for the Chiefs, rammed two stopped-cars going over 80 mph, seriously injuring a 5-year-old girl named Ariel Young.Britt Reid was sentenced to three years in prison for one felony count of driving while intoxicated with serious bodily harm.Now, the surprise of a commuted sentence is rocking the family of the victim who is dealing with long-term health impacts.Gov. Parson did not contact victim’s family before commuting Britt Reid sentence. Ariel young’s mother Felicia Miller wrote in a statement: “How would the governor feel if this was his daughter?”“It seems the laws don’t apply equally to the haves and have nots. The haves get favors. The have nots serve their sentence,” Miller said in the statement.“The family is disgusted, I am disgusted, and I believe that the majority of the people in the state of Missouri are disgusted by the governor’s actions,” Tom Porto, attorney for Ariel Young’s family, said in a statement.John Picerno is a local criminal defense attorney. He’s not associated with the case but said even before this moment people were talking about Britt Reid’s original sentencing feeling light.“This is a very unusual case. I can’t point you to any other case where this was an outcome,” Picerno said."Our constitution gives the governor that authority and it’s within his power to do that in the interest of justice if he feels as though it needs to be done. The question here in this particular case is what is the interest of justice that’s being served. I mean, I think that’s what everybody wants to know. What is that?” Picerno said.This is also not the first drinking and driving charge for Britt Reid. Back in 2007, when his dad was head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, Britt Reid had a DUI arrest that followed another charge for a road rage incident involving a gun, according to court documents.