Ellen Morphonios

Judge Ellen James Morphonios (September 30, 1929 – December 22, 2002) was a Dade County, Florida Circuit Judge, remembered for having prosecuted rock star Jim Morrison (The Doors) for allegedly exposing himself in her early days as a prosecutor. She was nicknamed "Maximum Morphonios" for the long sentences she routinely handed down to violent criminals.

Personal life

A native of Hyde County, North Carolina, Morphonios was a former model and beauty queen who passed a Florida exam that allowed her to enter law school without an undergraduate degree.[1] She was also a member of Mensa International - the international organization for people with intelligence quotients in the top 2%.[2]

Morphonios was a member of the National Rifle Association of America, and was invited to address the 1990 annual convention in Anaheim.[3] She appeared on many talk shows, including Donahue, Oprah and 60 Minutes, and was a frequent guest panelist on CNN.[3]

Career

Her highest profile case was probably her prosecution of Jim Morrison for allegedly exposing himself at a 1969 concert in Miami.[3] The verdict was appealed by Morrison died in 1971 before the appeal could be considered.

Autobiography

She wrote an autobiography in 1991, Maximum Morphonios: The Life and Times of America's Toughest Judge (ISBN 0688091555).

Retirements

Morphonios retired following a series of corruption allegations that targeted a number of Dade County judges. Despite efforts by the federal government, no allegations against Morphonios were ever substantiated. She returned briefly to the bench in 1997.[4]

Death

Ellen Morphonios died on Sunday, December 22, 2002, from stomach cancer.[3]

References
  1. "Judge Ellen Morphonios". The Washington Post. December 24, 2002. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  2. "Prominent Mensans". Mensa International. Archived from the original on 2007-06-10. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  3. Oliver, Myrna (2002-12-26). "Ellen J. Morphonios, 73; Idiosyncratic Judge". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on May 5, 2009. Retrieved 2016-04-24.
  4. Sutherland, John (2003-01-06). "John Sutherland on Judge Ellen "Maximum" Morphonios". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
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