Doors' Jim Morrison Pardoned

Jim Morrison, the explosive lead singer of the Doors, was granted an official criminal pardon by the State of Florida today.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist, one of four members of the state clemency board, led the effort to clear the legendary rock icon of his conviction for "indecent exposure" stemming from a notorious 1969 concert in Miami.

A jury had convicted the Southern California rock star and a judge sentenced Morrison to six months of hard labor, shocking and angering Doors fans worldwide.

Controversy has followed Morrison's 1969 conviction because many witnesses testified that he did not expose himself and the superstar was not arrested until four days after the concert.

Morrison did not exercise his right to remain silent but loudly denied the charge that he exposed himself on stage.  The California citizen appealed his Florida judgment and sentence but died before his appeal was heard.

Jim Morrison was born in Florida and attended Florida State University before moving to Los Angeles to start a music career.

Governor Crist said that legitimate doubts remained as to whether the rock singer ever exposed himself at all.

"James Douglas Morrison – we know him as Jim Morrison – appealed the judgment and sentence he received after being convicted 40 years ago of two misdemeanors.  However, he died before his appeal could be heard.  Because he us unable to state his case for clemency before this board today, I offer to do so for him," stated the Governor of Florida.

Governor Crist concluded, "In this case, guilt or innocence is in God's hands, not ours. That is why I ask my colleagues today to pardon Jim Morrison."

Today's official pardon corrects the fact that Jim Morrison is now unable to take advantage of the presumption of innocence.

It's time for The Doors to finally move past 1969.