Parson commutation frees Britt Reid to earn amid contentious divorce centered on money

Even after Britt Reid was charged with driving while intoxicated and causing a February 2021 crash that severely injured a 5-year-old girl, the former Kansas Chiefs assistant coach continued to earn tens of thousands of dollars in consulting fees, including from NFL players, in the time before he went to prison.

Reid made $486,103 when the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2020, $114,000 in 2021 before his contract with the team expired and $55,000 in consulting in 2022, after he was charged, according to court transcripts and documents reviewed by The Star.

And when Reid faced a three-year prison sentence, his parents, Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid and Tammy Reid, gave their son’s family more than $700,000, with about two-thirds going toward paying off a mortgage.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s decision last Friday to commute Reid’s sentence to house arrest provoked an intense, bipartisan backlash. Critics condemned the action as aiding a man of privilege and connections while inflicting further pain on the family of Ariel Young, the young girl who spent 11 days in a coma following the collision.

The governor’s office has justified the move by saying Reid had served more prison time than others with similar offenses.

But the timing of Parson’s decision also came against the backdrop of a contested divorce case between Britt and his wife, Kristen Reid, that she filed in May, seeking sole custody of the couple’s three children. Court proceedings since then have often focused on the couple’s finances and the family’s significant spending.

Kristen Reid had spent much of what remained of Andy and Tammy Reid’s gift by last fall, Johnson County District Court Judge Jason Billam ruled in September. Billam noted at the time that some $40,000 remained to supplement her income, in addition to a $32,000 tax refund and $4,000 in monthly support Britt Reid is required to pay.

Billam, who has ordered joint custody of the children as the case proceeds, found that Kristen earned about $14,000 a year, while Britt received no income while in prison.

Parson’s commutation of Britt Reid puts him in a position to again earn income, requiring him to work at least 30 hours a week. It also expands the amount of time available to spend with his children, who were previously restricted to visits to Reid’s low-security prison camp every other week chaperoned by Andy and Tammy Reid.

In September, Britt Reid testified during a hearing in the divorce case that “the funds that we had I thought were sufficient to support my family for three years. That is not the case,” according to a court transcript.

Reid, who testified by phone, was asked whether he believed he may be released in December – no context was given for the date.

“I’m not hedging my bet on anything being in the situation I’m in,” Reid said. “You know, you hope for the best but prepare for the worst, and as of right now, the only solidified date that I have is October 31st of 2024.”

Reid’s sentence was due to expire on Oct. 31, 2025. It’s unclear whether he misspoke or was referring to an anticipated early release date.

Attorneys for Kristen Reid and Britt Reid didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Parson has made no direct public comment about the commutation. On Friday, Parson spokesman Johnathan Shiflett said: “Mr. Reid has completed his alcohol abuse treatment program and has served more prison time than most individuals convicted of similar offenses.”

The Star went to a book signing event for Parson’s new commemorative biography, “No Turnin’ Back,” on Tuesday morning, but his staff refused to make him available for questions.

In response to written questions, Parson spokesman Johnathan Shiflett on Tuesday issued a statement: “No request, official or otherwise, was made on behalf of Mr. Reid for this commutation.”

“Contacting victims’ families is not part of the Governor’s Office’s clemency process and has not been for any of the nearly 4,000 clemency cases Governor Parson has decided on throughout his nearly six years in office. Governor Parson expresses his deepest sympathy for any additional heartache this commutation has caused the Young Family, as that was certainly not his intention.”

Parson, a former Polk County sheriff, is a longtime Chiefs fan and season ticket holder. He traveled to the Super Bowl this year and attended the victory parade. “If you want to see the Lombardi trophy, you’re going to have to fly your asses to Kansas City, Missouri, and we’ll show you four trophies!” he told the crowd.

Chiefs President Mark Donovan has previously emphasized Parson’s support. In the weeks after Parson became governor in 2018 following the resignation of Eric Greitens, Donovan told reporters that he had texted with the new governor.

“He’s a huge supporter. A big, big fan of the organization, and we’ve had a relationship with him over the years, which helps us,” Donovan said at the time.

The Chiefs have loomed over the Britt Reid saga. On Feb. 4, 2021, Reid’s pickup slammed into two vehicles on the side of an entrance ramp along Interstate 435, near the team’s practice facility. The wreck injured two children, including Ariel, who suffered a traumatic brain injury.

He was driving 83 mph two seconds before the collision. Prosecutors said Reid had a serum blood alcohol content of 0.113 about two hours after the crash. The legal limit is 0.08, according to Missouri law.

Reid testified in the September divorce hearing that his coaching contract with Chiefs wasn’t renewed because of the accident. He said that he had been looking for new employment when he knew the contract wouldn’t be extended and that the Chiefs as well as the Carolina Panthers had been options for employment.

After losing the contract, Reid started a consulting business that he ran before going to prison. He testified that he worked with NFL players mostly in groups. He said he charged $225 a session.

Reid said he didn’t intend to return to consulting after getting released from prison, citing likely travel restrictions that would come with being on parole. “So, until my parole is done or I’m otherwise notified, the consulting is kind of put on hold,” Reid testified.

However, Kristen Reid testified that Britt had told her that he planned to continue his consulting business after his release. Kristen Reid in testimony also said Britt had told her that “he has unlimited resources through his parents” for legal expenses.

“I would say I’ve always spent this money, and he has, too. You just can’t see his transactions since he’s been incarcerated,” Kristen Reid said.

Britt Reid testified that it would take about $5,100 a month for Kristen Reid to run the household while he is in prison, but Kristen testified it would take double that amount based on their historical spending. Billam found Kristen’s testimony not credible, citing testimony on her spending on clothes, airfare and other items.

Britt Reid’s attorney, Katie McClaflin, at one point asked him if he anticipates being offered a job in the NFL.

“Not when I get out. I don’t know,” Reid responded. “As of right now, I have not had any interest with the people I’ve talked to, and because I’m going to be out on parole, I do not see that happening.”

The Star’s Kacen Bayless contributed reporting