More on Morrison

My post yesterday about Jim Morrison’s pardon in Florida for 1969 charges got some feedback. In case you didn’t read a comment posted yesterday, I’m pasting it in here:

“The Doors obviously know nothing about the law because if they did, they would realize the pardon wipes out the two convictions that Morrison was found guilty of by a jury. Expunging the record would merely seal the case from the eyes of the public. How in the world is anyone going to expunge this case from the minds of millions of Doors fans all over the world? This statement from them is misguided. They already got the apology. Under Florida law, and the laws of most states, only the family can elect to pursue expunging. The Morrison family have had 41 years to do it and have elected not to. The pardon was appropriate in this case and the Doors should respect that this matter is now officially closed, in my opinion. Any credible lawyer would not have advised the Doors to put this statement out in this form. The timing of this statement is suspect, also, given the fact that the month prior to the pardon, the Doors were very much in favor of it. To me, this statement makes them seem like ingrates in the eyes of their fans. Further, Jim Morrison’s father voiced his full support for the pardon before he died in 2008. He told MSNBC from what I’ve read that he endorses the idea of a pardon because he was told a pardon would erase the charges, which it did. I’m troubled that the Doors would attempt to further a matter that has been legally resolved. As of 12-9-10, Jim Morrison is no longer guilty in the state of Florida. What is the problem?”

And then I got an e-mail from someone (I believe an Arizona lawyer) providing more background on the story. It was a link to a more complete history of the case and the pardon process. The online content also chided online commentators (gulp) for opining on the matter without sufficient knowledge.

Well, if THAT’s the new standard … !

Of course, some of you may have noted that I used the post merely as a vehicle to convey some great Doors song titles and lyrics. Some were obvious, others less so.

Did you get them all?

The Jim Morrison kerfuffle also taught me something else important: There is a “Doors Collectors Magazine.” Very cool.

Get reading.

 

Pardon, Guvner

Forget electing a President. Florida officials couldn’t even make a decision about what tie to wear anymore without igniting a national firestorm.

This week, Florida, with the whole Eastern seaboard, has been a rider on a snowstorm. And this month the storm grew fiercer, as the Florida Board of Clemency voted to pardon Doors frontman Jim Morrison. He had been arrested and charged with lewd and lascivious conduct in 1969, based on his actions at a Miami concert. (He subsequently died in 1971, while still challenging the charges.) There were claims that Morrison had exposed himself to the audience (which would take “Touch Me” to a different level).

The clemency board acted at the behest of outgoing Florida Governor Charlie Crist—and we couldn’t get much higher than that. Crist has admitted to being a big Doors fan, and he took up the idea at the request of a fellow fan.

You’d think state government has bigger worries than this, but you know what they say: People are strange.

The pardon was not welcome news to Morrison’s family and former bandmates, who are looking a gift pardon in the mouth. Florida officials really lit their fire.

The former Doors musicians believe that the original charges were political grandstanding in the first place, and that the pardon is more of the same. They want the matter expunged, not pardoned.

They have said the same thing since Morrison’s death. But they said the time to hesitate is through.

And while Florida is at it, they say, an apology is in order.

No word yet from the hell freezes over department.

Jim Morrison in 1969

Man o man: A guv can’t even exercise one of the best perks of his office anymore without getting in a tussle. He probably just wanted to break on through (to the Other Side)—Morrison may forgive him, but living fans? Not so much.

We’ll have to say how it all shakes out when the music’s over. Until then, read the band’s complete statement here.