This morning will mark the last meeting of the Clemency Board for 2009. And once again there's no sign that Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet members who serve on the board have any intention of taking up the lingering pardon request of Jim Morrison, the Florida native and long-deceased rock star. Morrison fans have been asking for years now that state officials pardon Morrison's conviction for indecent exposure 30 years ago. (Background here.)
Crist was asked earlier this week about Morrison and Crist admitted that he just seen on TV last weekend a show that talked about The Doors appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show back in 1967 where Morrison refused to alter the lyrics of "Light My Fire." But when asked if he ever planned to go along with a posthumous pardon for Morrison, Crist smiled and said "Maybe."
Of course, in order to win a pardon Morrison would also need to win over the support of two other members of the Clemency Board. Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson says he is willing to consider it, while Attorney General Bill McCollum said he can't discuss any case that may come before the Clemency Board. McCollum also doesn't seem to recognize Morrison's name.
After today the Clemency Board will meet four more times in 2010. Then a totally new board - with a different governor - will take over in 2011.
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