Fans seek Florida pardon for Doors' Morrison

MIAMI (Reuters) - Two fans have asked Florida to pardon rock bad-boy Jim Morrison, the late lead singer for The Doors, who was convicted of exposing himself during a Miami concert nearly 40 years ago.

The two men, Kerry Humpherys of Utah and David Diamond of Ohio, sent a letter to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist last month asking him to issue a full pardon to Morrison on two misdemeanor charges of indecent exposure and using profanity.

"I'm a big Doors fan. There are thousands of Doors fans out there who look up to Jim Morrison. It was all trumped up and he shouldn't have this hanging over him," said Humpherys, who runs a Doors fan magazine.

Morrison's trouble with the law stemmed from his notorious appearance at a Coconut Grove concert in 1969 at a time when Miami was a conservative southern city. Police said Morrison rolled down his leather pants and simulated masturbation on stage.

Some witnesses disagreed, saying Morrison had only simulated exposing himself.

Morrison was sentenced to six months in jail and a $500 fine, but was released pending appeal. The appeal had not been heard when he was found dead in the bath of his Paris apartment on July 3, 1971, apparently of a lethal mix of alcohol and drugs.

The Doors were one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s, with hits like "Light My Fire," "Hello, I Love You" and "Riders on the Storm."

Any pardon for Morrison would be decided by Crist, a Republican, and members of Florida's Cabinet. The Miami Herald noted that both Morrison and Crist attended Florida State University, where sports teams are nicknamed the Seminoles.

"He's a 'Nole? Well, given that fact, I'm certainly willing to review it," Crist was quoted as saying in Tuesday's Herald. The newspaper said Crist then sang a few lines of "Light My Fire."