After 1,300 arrests, ‘world’s most arrested man’ dies at 74
Henry Earl, known as “James Brown”, leaves a unique legacy behind
Lady known in Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky mourns the loss of a remarkable character last weekend, with the passing of Henry Earl at 74. Known as the “world’s most arrested man”, Earl achieved this title after amassing over 1,300 arrests, most of which were alcohol-related. A lively figure in Lexington street life, Earl was regarded by many with warmth and fondness.
A Life of Notoriety and Laughter
According to Ginny Ramsey, the founder of Lexington’s Catholic Action Center who knew Earl intimately over many years, “He was a character, he had a wonderful sense of humor”. These arrests, mostly for small crimes such as public intoxication and disorderly conduct, began to be documented from 1992 onward with the digitization of criminal records.
However, his lesser-known criminal history stretches further back, to the 1970s. If these early offenses are considered, his total arrest record could well exceed 1,500, and he is estimated to have spent over 6,000 days in jail. His most recent arrest was in April 2017, also on a charge of public intoxication.
From Homelessness to Internet Celebrity
Earl was a familiar figure around Lexington, specifically near the University of Kentucky’s college bars, where students would often buy him drinks. He asked people to call him “James Brown”, attesting to his jovial personality. His story and recurring arrests eventually garnered attention and resulted in him becoming an internet ‘celebrity’ of sorts. This lead to an invite to appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in 2004, which he was unable to attend due to being in prison at the time.
According to Earl, he began drinking at 18 after his adoptive mother’s death. His alcohol dependency soon led to him losing his job as a busboy and subsequently becoming homeless.
The Later Years
Despite his turbulent life, the final seven years of Earl’s life were spent in peace at the Owenton Healthcare and Rehabilitation Facility after being admitted due to an illness. He continued to charm those around him with his eccentric antics. “He was a joy to them too,” said Ramsey. “He would come down and try to dance for them, told them all he was James Brown. He was just a character”.
He was buried at Owenton Cemetery this Thursday afternoon. Unfortunately, there was not any number of family that could be contacted for this ceremony. Hence, his grave will remind us all the complex persona that made so many smile or shake their heads in disapproval, often at the same time, the character that was – Henry Earl.
