From CNN.com
Jim Morrison may win indecent exposure pardon 40 years on
(CNN) — The charismatic but unpredictable lead singer of American rock band The Doors could be about to receive a posthumous pardon almost 40 years after being convicted of exposing himself on stage.
Jim Morrison had been performing with the band at a typically raucous concert at Miami’s Key Auditorium on March 1, 1969 when the incident took place. Reportedly drunk and slurring obscenities at the crowd, he was accused of unzipping his pants and simulating a sex act, a charge he denied.
Despite being acquitted of lascivious behavior and drunkenness, Morrison was convicted of indecent exposure and open profanity and sentenced to six months in jail. He was still appealing the verdict in 1971 when he died in Paris at the age of 27.
Four decades on and the outgoing Governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, has said he may consider an official let-off for the legendary hell-raiser.
"It’s something that I haven’t given a lot of thought to, but it’s something I’m willing to look into in the time I have left," Crist told U.S. Congressional newspaper The Hill. "Anything is possible. Stay tuned."
Doors fans have long appealed for an official pardon for Morrison, petitioning previous Florida governors without success. Many argue that the trial was a sham and that there was no conclusive evidence supporting the exposure charge against Morrison.
Crist was first approached about the issue of clemency in 2007. According to The Hill, he said he would consider it, acknowledging "there was some doubt about how solid the case was."
But with Crist set to leave office in January after losing his bid for the Senate in the recent Midterm elections, time is running out for Morrison’s supporters as the request must be submitted by December 9.
Under state law a pardon must have the consent of the governor and at least two other members of the Florida Board of Executive Clemency.
The Doors formed in Los Angeles in 1965 and comprised of Morrison on lead vocals, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore.
My mom said that while she was pregnant with me in 1968, My dad was playing the Door’s 2nd L.P. “Strange Days” a lot, so I was absorbing that music before I was even born. It’s no wonder that was my favorite band and my favorite album growing up. The music always felt to me like being in the womb.
Jim was accused of flashing his penis on stage, which was absolutely ludicrous. The only witness was a cop’s daughter, in an over-packed Miami crowd. It was very scary what Jim went through, the threats he recieved in jail before he got bailed out. His case was on appeal so he still was facing a possible 1/2 year in prison and the wrath of fascist prison guards bent on making an example out of him.
In the end he was trying to flee stardom. He grew a beard, a gut, crouched lower in the L.A. Woman photo to appear to be shorter and flew to Paris in the hope of escaping all the bullshit. And escape, he did.
I just happened to be playing a “best of” Doors C.D. in my car today. A couple of ex girlfriends acknowledged how I always had an uncanny ability to suddenly switch the radio dial and arrive on a Doors song in mid-play. The Doors was what brought me to L.A., and then in pursuit of an acting career, as I was going to CSULB and heard on the radio that they were looking for movie extras for Oliver Stoned’s movie. The first student film I ever made was in Jr. H.S., renacting the “killer awoke before dawn” murder scene in the song “The End”…
I’ve been reading what’s going on around here, but haven’t had time to comment. Must say that the doors make me squirt. Crazy that the guys been dead all this time and there is a charge hanging over his head. Give him, ok his family, a damn key to the city already!