Florida’s governor Charlie Crist has had a change of heart in regards to charges laid against The Doors frontman 43 years ago. Those in charge at the time were unimpressed with claims that Jim Morrison exposed himself during a performance in the state, and sought legal action, which he fought for the last two years of his life.
According to Urbantitan, Crist has commented that ““It is very important to prosecute the guilty, but it is more important to exonerate the innocent, and I can’t help to have that over and over in my mind with Jim Morrison…The more I think about it the more I think an injustice was being done.” Crist will be taking the case to the Clemency Board meeting on December 9.
Morrison faced a six-month jail term and a $500 fine following a performance at Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami in 1969. It was believed that Morrison whipped it out for all to see on stage during a drunken stupor, and backed that up with foul language, though many have come forward to say that actually never happened.
The charges of drunkenness and lewd and lascivious behaviour were thrown out, though Morrison continued to fight the sentence until his death in Paris.
The band’s drummer John Densmore has slammed the claims, stating that “He didn’t do it! I was there; if Jim had revealed the golden shaft, I would have known. There were hundreds of photographs taken and tons of cops and no evidence. Yeah, Jim was a drunk and a sensational, crazy guy, but he also was a great artist and I want him to be remembered for the art as well as the craziness,”
Densmore has urged Florida officials to reassess the case and pardon Morrison of all and any wrong doing. Better late than never, I suppose.
