“This is the strangest life I’ve ever known,” Jim Morrison sang on one of the hits he recorded with the Doors, but his afterlife continues to astound, too.


Associated Press
Jim Morrison, lead singer of the Doors, may be given a posthumous pardon in Florida.
Post a Comment.On Tuesday, Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida said he would officially submit Morrison’s name to his state’s clemency board as a candidate to be pardoned for two convictions the rock star received after some outrageous behavior at a 1969 concert in Miami.

“I’ve decided that today,” Mr. Crist said Tuesday in a telephone interview. “I’ve decided to do it, for the pure and simple reason that I just think it’s the right thing to do. In some ways it seems like a tragic conclusion to a young man’s life to have maybe this be a lasting legacy, where we’re not even sure that it actually occurred. The more that I’ve read about the case and the more I get briefed on it, the more convinced I am that maybe an injustice has been done here.”

After a raucous performance by the Doors at the Dinner Key Auditorium on March 1, 1969, where witnesses said they saw a drunken Morrison expose himself, the singer was arrested and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior, a felony, as well as several misdemeanors. In a 1970 trial, Morrison was convicted on charges of profanity and indecent exposure, both misdemeanors, and fined $500 and sentenced to six months in jail. But he never served the time; he was appealing the conviction when he died in Paris in 1971 at the age of 27.

Mr. Crist, a Republican-turned-independent who lost his bid for a Senate seat this month and whose term as governor expires in January, seemed to side with many Doors fans in explaining his decision to seek a pardon for Morrison. As the singer’s supporters have long argued, Mr. Crist said no documentary evidence presented at the singer’s trial showed Morrison exposing himself, and he expressed regret that Morrison had died before he could present his appeal. (Mr. Crist also noted that both he and Morrison attended Florida State University.)

“My heart bleeds for he and his family that this may not have even ever happened, yet it’s unfortunately currently part of his record,” Mr. Crist said.

A pardon for Morrison would still have to be approved by members of the Florida Board of Executive Clemency, whose four-member roster includes Mr. Crist. Its final meeting before Mr. Crist’s term expires is scheduled for Dec. 9, the day after what would have been Morrison’s 67th birthday.

If you get your cock out on stage it's art but if you do it in the street it's a crime. Discuss.

Genesis P. Orridge used to do this onstage a bit as well - any others?

andy

I live in Miami, so occasionally I run into people who were at that show in '69. One guy who was there at age 14 is my doctor. Opinion tends to run 50/50 that Jim did it/didn't do it. I tend to think he didn't - there were literally hundreds of photos taken at that show, and none show an exposure of the indecent kind. Plus, there were many policemen at that gig, providing security and whatnot, and they didn't arrest Morrison or file a complaint or claim of any kind. In fact, they hung out with the band backstage afterwards, enjoying a friendly chat.

Jim was set up by people trying to further their own careers. A journalist for the Miami Herald at the time is the one who wrote inflammatory articles and got the drums beating for Morrison's arrest. Various lawyers, judges and politicans jumped on the bandwagon.

My wife attended that concert and to this day she still swears that the allegations are untrue. Jim did not expose himself.

Who would it matter to now? Pam is long head. He had no children. Isn't his father dead? I don't know about his mother. Who even gets his estate money now? I think it adds to his legacy. I remember them pulling Doors singles from the radio in my hometown.

I doubt he gives a shit. Like when the Vatican pardoned John Lennon for the "bigger than Jesus" thing 25 years after his death. Um... he's dead, don't think he gives a flying @#$%&!

But the whole exposure thing is a bit of an urban legend and as the saying goes "if you have the choice between the truth and the legend, print the legend."

A politician looking for some cheap publicity ... did not see that coming. My wife remembers everything and forgives nothing, perhaps in my will I'll request posthumous pardons from my extensive list of wrong doings, I know it ain't happening while I'm alive.

...

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nashville
If you get your cock out on stage it's art but if you do it in the street it's a crime. Discuss.

andy

Andy, first, it's usually not considered art on stage either.

If Mick whipped it out on stage to disprove tiny todger claims, people would not shrug and say "Ah well, he's an artist." There would be upheaval and fines and people fainting in horror. At least in America. Remember Janet Jackson's "slip" and the furor it caused?

But supposing what you say were true, the issue would be about Informed Consent.

Is the exposure voluntary or involuntary? It's like if you choose to buy a house really cheap because it's fully advertised to be located near a SUPERFUND toxics site---you have been informed of the risks and are doing it anyway. Versus a polluting company moving into your neighborhood withut your say, or consent.

It's about people's ability to exercise CHOICE.

So....walking down a public street, there is a reasonable expectation that you will NOT see someone revealing body parts. There's a crime called visual assault that speaks to this.

In the case of an artist, is there a reasonable likelihood the artist you're going to see may reveal body parts? In 2010, probably not - no. But in Jim's day, it would not be an expectation that he'd unzip and show---but times wuz different and anyone attending a Doors show wouldn't have gotten bent outta shape if he did (it was the town officials in both CT and FL that were gunning for him).

That's my take

swiss

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swiss
If Mick whipped it out on stage to disprove tiny todger claims, people would not shrug and say "Ah well, he's an artist."

perhaps mick has already whipped it out many times, we just haven't noticed

1969 jim was rail roaded for political gain
2010 he may receive a pardon for the same reason
if he were alive i think he would tell then to shove their pardon. a case of too little too late.

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24FPS
Who would it matter to now? Pam is long head. He had no children. Isn't his father dead? I don't know about his mother. Who even gets his estate money now? I think it adds to his legacy. I remember them pulling Doors singles from the radio in my hometown.

His father died last year and his mom about 3 years ago. His estate money goes to his brother and sister, as well as Pam's mom Pearl.

I agree with the person who said Jim would've told them to shove their pardon, but I still think it's nice of Gov. Crist to do this. I voted for the fecker in his recent failed Senate campaign, not that it did him any good.

Well on Thursday December 9 2010, Jim Morrison was officially pardoned by the Florida Clemency Board at the request of outgoing Governor Charlie Crist.

Now he can come out of hiding and start that follow up album to LA Woman.