Tag: Jim Morrison

The newly independent Gov. Charlie Crist (NPA – Fla.) is going rogue during his last weeks in office, starting with a possible posthumous pardon of the Doors’ lead singer, Jim Morrison.

“Stay tuned,” Crist told The Hill this week. “It’s something I’m willing to look into in the time I have left.”

Morrison, for those of you too young to be reading this post, was arrested in Miami on charges of exposing himself during a concert in 1969. It was a time of assassinations, shootings of college kids by National Guardsmen, inner-city riots, and pop stars dropping like flies from drug overdoses, so Morrison’s arrest was just one more crazy thing. In fact, it wasn’t even his first (or last) arrest.

Morrison arrived at the oversold gig looking the worse for wear, fired up from a day of drinking and a provocative play he had seen in Los Angeles the night before. He antagonised the crowd, and recordings certainly show he used some naughty words. He did take off his shirt, though, and he did ask if the audience wanted to “see his cock”, but it’s unclear if he did actually, er, show the audience his morrison. He spurred a stage invasion and got into a fight with the promoter. But the subsequent six-week trial was filled with contradictory testimonies and debates over “free speech”.

Morrison was ultimately cleared on charges of lascivious behaviour and, bizarrely, drunkenness, but he was convicted of profanity and indecent exposure. Sentenced to six months in prison and a $500 fine, he died on bail in Paris, pending appeal.

Charlie has previously expressed interest in clearing Morrison’s, and Florida’s, names by taking it all back after the fact. One wonders, though, what else is on Crist’s To Do list in his remaining days as governor. Can we revisit that whole Bush v. Gore thing, do you think?