Posted on 11/08/2010 11:20:15 AM PST by My Favorite Headache
Rocker Jim Morrison Could Join List of Infamous Musical Pardons Florida Gov. Charlie Crist may consider clearing name of Doors front man.
By Ben Terris Monday, November 8, 2010 | 1:56 p.m.
TheSmokingGun.com/Dade County Public Safety Department The Doors frontman posed for this 1970 mugshot after being charged with indecent exposure at a Miami concert the year before.
Outgoing Florida Gov. Charlie Crist may soon be part of a great tradition in the exercise of executive power: pardoning rock stars. Crist told The Hill that he was considering a posthumous pardon for Doors front man Jim Morrison, who was charged with indecent exposure after an incident at a Miami concert in 1969. Crist reportedly hasnt decided if he will clear the rockers name, but he told The Hill to stay tuned for a decision in December.
The so-called Miami Incident has become something of legend for fans of the Lizard King. Although details of the events that transpired remain hazy, one thing is clear: The moment marked something of a nadir in the musicians career. As the story goes, Morrison, fresh from attending a provocative theater performance and full of intoxicants, spent the concert antagonizing the audience. At one point, authorities said, he exposed himself to the crowd. Morrison was sentenced to six months in jail and ordered to pay a $500 fine, but he died in Paris in 1971 before serving his sentence.
Since the concert, however, there have been conflicting accounts of exactly what happened. Crist has said that he might consider a pardon because there was some doubt about how solid the case was.
If Crist does pardon Morrison, he wouldn't be the first governor to grant clemency to a musical delinquent; the practice has a rich history.
I doubt New Haven will do the same.
This is significant? Yet another indication of what a “Whackjob” Crist is.
You might “pardon” him but you can’t ever clear the fools name.
Morrison looks like the Zach Galifianakis character from “The Hangover.”
A pardon is not the same as a finding of not guilty. A pardon simply relieves the convicted of having to serve out their sentence. Morrison is dead, so the pardon does nothing. In any case, Morrison fans are proud of their hero for dissing the Man and flaunting society’s morals, and so likely they will see the pardon as patronizing.
BTW Charlie, you lost! LOL!
I loved the Doors - a great but short lived group. Morrison was THE preminent Rock and/or Roll singer.
Interesting tidbit - one of Morrison’s favorute singers was Frank Sinatra.
Cue organ solo from “Light My Fire.”
Morrison was the real deal...pretentious azzhats like Eddie Vedder are a poor imitation...
Riders on the storm is mine.
He’s dead, Jim. You must have better things to do in the governorship.You should be lighting a fire under crashing real estate values and high unemployment.Not wasting your time pardoning dead guys whose fire extinguished long ago.
/donning tinfoil ... Is he?
Of all famous people who've passed on under mysterious circumstances, I've always thought Morrison was the one who was actually capable of faking his death and disappearing from the public. After this many years, I guess it's not true: no Doors reunion any time soon.
If that’s going to be Charlie Crist’s legacy in Florida, so be it!
Good things Floridians elected grown-ups this time!
I could never figure out how Morrison was tried and found guilty on this charge... and then allowed to trot off to Paris for 6 months.
Leading the way and making the tough decisions.. all the way to the end, right Charlene?
What did Val Kilmer do and why is pic in B&W?? ;-)
The orange governor will pardon him and then fly to Paris and pee on his grave with the rest of the Morrison groupies.
Somewhat appropriate if you ask me. I mean Charlie Crist issuing a pardon for a guy caught flashing his junk is a fitting tribute to his legacy if you ask me!
People Are Strange...
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