Lizard King To Be Pardoned?

idlesupernova

Fans seek pardon for Jim Morrison

Morrison (third from left) died before his appeal
Fans of The Doors have asked Florida to pardon frontman Jim Morrison nearly 40 years after he was convicted of indecent exposure in the state.
Morrison was charged after a concert in Miami's Coconut Grove in 1969 where he allegedly exposed himself and simulated a sex act.

Now two fans have sent a letter seeking a pardon for the Florida native so he can be remembered for his music.

Governor Charlie Crist said he was "certainly willing to review" the case.


I think it would be against the spirit of the rebellious nature of the music to pardon him
John Ferguson, Ballymena, UK
BBC News website reader

Morrison died of a heart attack in Paris in 1971 while his case was still on appeal. He was 27.

The singer denied the charges of indecent exposure, and several audience members at the concert said he had only simulated exposing himself.

Many fans believe the conviction put Morrison and his band in a downward spiral, with negative publicity leading promoters to cancel concerts.

'Trumped up'


The Doors hits include Light My Fire and Riders On The Storm
Dave Diamond from Ohio and Kerry Humpherys from Utah wrote to Governor Crist last month to suggest the pardon.

"It's not about Jim Morrison's image as the Lizard King or The Doors music. It's about a citizen of Florida who was convicted in a case where the law was not applied," said Mr Diamond.

"It was all trumped up and he shouldn't have this hanging over him," added Mr Humpherys.

Any pardon for Morrison would be decided by Mr Crist and members of Florida's cabinet.

The Miami Herald noted that both Morrison and Mr Crist attended Florida State University, where sports teams are nicknamed the Seminoles.

"He's a Nole? Well, given that fact, I'm certainly willing to review it," Crist was quoted as saying in Tuesday's Herald.

The newspaper said Crist then sang a few lines of Light My Fire.

Mr Diamond and Mr Humpherys noted in their letter that former New York Governor George Pataki had pardoned the late comedian Lenny Bruce on an obscenity conviction.

Morrison's father, a retired US Navy admiral, said he would support a pardon.

odonnell

And so he bloody should be. Pardon the man as he did nothing wrong then, and even if he had done it, it would have paled in comparison to what goes on in ANY arts festival on the high street in certain places of the world today. Ive seen worse things happen at the fringe in Edinburgh than a rock singer showing his tackle to the fans.

The judicial system is supposed to ensure that anyone convicted of an offence is convicted because they have been shown to have actually carried out said offence BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBT. Anyone who knows their Doors history can tell you that not one photograph was produced (from a crowd of thousands) showing JDM with his penis out. There are witnesses to the contrary who claim they saw him girating (fine) who claim they saw him rummaging around and then poking his finger through his flies (fine!), yet where are the photos of him whipping out the big man? Where are the photos to clearly show this? Cmon, of all the cameras there that night, not one legible photo existed to show the court. Beyond all reasonable doubt - yeah right, and the man was convicted anyway.

Now couple this with a few of the other little tidbits from that case (which you can google) - my personal favourite was that the person that lodged the complaint was (if memory serves me correctly) the sheriff's nephew.

It was nothing more than a witch hunt and an excercise in making an example of someone to crush the spirit of those of the day. they got their man and its m firm belief JDM knew this.... by a few reports he was confident of winning his appeal and as such was going to Paris to recharge a little and to refresh for his return to the states, do some writing, get himself squared away and out of the spotlight. but by another few accounts - he knew he was not going to win that appeal no matter what he did or what evidence was produced.

To that comment by the bbc reader " I think it would be against the spirit of the rebellious nature of the music to pardon him ".

The music was never about unfair conviction and the message of the music should have no consequence on a mans reputation, or righting the wrongs of a corrupt government - one person at a time if need be. Hell...part of the reason the music was made was to stand in the FACE of such a government - rebellion? no.... enlightenment? Absolutely.

We dont need anarchy, we just need to stop voting for the feckers.

Pardon JDM.