Fla. Gov: Jim Morrison Pardon “The Right Thing to Do”

Charlie confirms he'll seek state pardon for dead Doors rocker's Miami "exposure"

The music's nearly over for Charlie Crist's term as Florida's governor, but before he leaves he plans on letting dead rocker Jim Morrison off the hook for allegedly exposing himself during a wild 1969 concert in Miami.

Crist confirmed Tuesday that he'll submit Morrison's name to the state's clemency board, hoping to score a pardon for the Lizard King nearly 40 years after The Doors lead singer's death.

"The more I looked into it, the more I felt the right thing to do would be to try to bring about a pardon," Crist told the St. Petersburg Times. "And I've reached that conclusion now, that's what I'm going to do."

Crist's deputy press secretary said last week that the Governor was mulling the decision to pardon Morrison. Crist leaves office in January and must submit requests for clemency by Dec. 9.

Morrison was allegedly drunk when he supposedly displayed his penis and began yelling at the crowd during the March 1, 1969 show at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Coconut Grove.

Four days later, a warrant was issued for his arrest and after Morrison was convicted in 1970, he appealed. He died in 1971 in Paris at the age of 27, while he was out on bail and the convictions were still in the process of appeal.

Crist said he reviewed the case and wasn't convinced Morrison showed Little Jim to the crowd.

"We really don't know if the alleged act occurred," Crist told the Times. "He was a young guy who maybe, or maybe not, made a mistake. It strikes me that everyone deserves a second chance. You have to have the capacity for forgiveness."

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