Haley Reeves Barbour Jr., known as Reeves Barbour and the youngest son of former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, has a public arrest record spanning more than two decades. The known arrests of Reeves Barbour include a 2003 public drunkenness charge in Starkville, Mississippi, a 2015 assault arrest in Washington, D.C., that produced a misdemeanor conviction in 2018, and a 2024 trespassing arrest in Madison, Mississippi.
2003 Public Drunkenness Charge in Starkville
The first reported arrest came in September 2003, when Barbour was 24. Starkville police charged him with public drunkenness after a Mississippi State versus Oregon football game. His father was running for governor at the time. Reports indicated Barbour did not contest the charge.1WLBT. Haley Barbour’s Son Arrested
2015 Washington, D.C. Assault Arrest and 2018 Conviction
The most serious matter began on the night of April 30, 2015, in Washington, D.C. A man named Kurtis King said Barbour attacked him on a sidewalk after King complimented Barbour’s wife. King reported that Barbour punched him in the face and head at least a dozen times with a closed fist, fracturing his nose and causing knee abrasions that were treated at George Washington University Hospital.2Courthouse News Service. Former Governor’s Son Accused of Assault
Barbour was arrested and initially charged with aggravated assault, a felony. He pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Marlon Griffith, argued that Barbour had acted in self-defense against what Griffith called “an admittedly belligerent individual,” and Barbour told police he was defending his wife. He rejected a plea deal offered in 2015.3Clarion Ledger. Former Gov. Haley Barbour’s Son Convicted of Simple Assault
A jury trial in February 2018 dismissed the felony aggravated assault charge but deadlocked on a lesser misdemeanor count, producing a mistrial. The case was retried as a bench trial before Judge Craig Iscoe in the District of Columbia Superior Court. On August 2, 2018, Iscoe found Barbour guilty of simple assault, a misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Sentencing was scheduled for August 21, 2018.3Clarion Ledger. Former Gov. Haley Barbour’s Son Convicted of Simple Assault
Related Civil Lawsuit
In April 2016, King filed a civil suit against Barbour in federal court in Washington, D.C. The eight-page complaint alleged assault, battery, and infliction of emotional distress, and sought $75,000 per count plus punitive damages.2Courthouse News Service. Former Governor’s Son Accused of Assault The civil trial was stayed pending the outcome of the criminal case.3Clarion Ledger. Former Gov. Haley Barbour’s Son Convicted of Simple Assault Available records do not indicate a final resolution of the civil matter.
2024 Trespassing Arrest in Madison, Mississippi
On June 6, 2024, Madison, Mississippi, police arrested Barbour, then 44, and charged him with trespassing at a residence. Captain Kevin Newman of the Madison Police Department said Barbour “trespassed on private residential property and refused to leave.” The incident took place inside Barbour’s own neighborhood in Madison.4Clarion Ledger. Former Mississippi Governor’s Son Arrested in Madison Police did not release further details about what led to the arrest.5WAPT. Reeves Barbour, Son of Former Mississippi Governor, Arrested
After an initial appearance in Madison Municipal Court, a judge set bond at $1,000, and Barbour was taken to the Madison County Detention Center.6WLBT. Former Governor’s Son Arrested for Trespassing in Madison Public reporting does not show how the trespassing charge was resolved.
Why the Name Draws Attention
Reeves Barbour’s arrests have received coverage largely because of his father. Haley Barbour chaired the Republican National Committee from 1993 to 1997, served two terms as governor of Mississippi from 2004 to 2012, and founded the Washington lobbying firm BGR Group in 1987.7BGR Group. Governor Haley Barbour Reeves is one of the elder Barbour’s two sons with his wife, Marsha; the other is Sterling.8National Governors Association. Haley Barbour