By Alicia Cruz The Black Urban Times
The man responsible for killing legendary singer John Lennon will have his sixth parole hearing this week in New York State.
Mark David Chapman, now 55, was scheduled to meet with parole officials back in August, but the board did not have additional information needed for his review and postponed the hearing until the week of September 6.
Chapman shot Lennon at 10:49 p.m. December 8, 1980 as he and wife Yoko Ono returned to their Manhattan apartment building, The Dakota.
Around 5:00 pm, hours before Chapman shot Lennon, he approached the singer as he and Ono were leaving their home for a recording session asking that Lennon sign a copy of his new album, Double Fantasy, which Chapman bought. Lennon, forever an artist of the people, happily obliged his fan. Photographer Paul Goresh was present when Lennon signed Chapman's album and took a photo of the event.
*SEE PHOTO BELOW*
As the Lennon’s left their limo and headed for the front door of the Dakota, they passed a deranged Chapman, who turned around and pumped four hallow point bullets into the former Beatles's back and shoulder from a .38 Special revolver. One of the bullets pierced Lennon's aorta, causing him to bleed to death.
Lennon, who would have turned 70 in October, was transported to St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan where he was pronounced dead at 11:07 pm.
Chapman, a native of Texas, and the son of a former Air Force Staff Sergeant, remained at the scene and was later arrested by the NYPD.
Charged with second degree murder, Chapman was convicted and sentenced to 20 years to life. He has been incarcerated at the Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York since 1981. Chapman has been applying for parole since October 2000. Lennon's widow has opposed every one of his previous five parole requests.
_entrance_by_David_Shankbone.jpg)
According to Lennon's Wikipedia page, on July 27, 2010 Ono said she would again oppose parole for Chapman stating that her and son Sean's safety would be at risk, as would Chapman's if he were to be paroled.
"I am afraid it will bring back the nightmare, the chaos and confusion (of that night) once again," said Ono.
In October 2002, State Parole Division spokesman Thomas Grant said, "Releasing Mark David Chapman after 22 years in prison would 'deprecate the seriousness' of the crime.
Board members stated that while Chapman had "acceptable" behavior in prison that did not guarantee he would not pose a threat to society once released.
During his 2006 parole board hearing, when asked if he murdered Lennon to become famous, Chapman answered, "The result would be that I would be famous, the result would be that my life would change and I would receive a tremendous amount of attention, which I did receive... I was in a very confused, dark place."
Inside the Mind of John Lennon's Assassin
(June 23, 1981) Chapman admits murder
Mark David Chapman, now 55, was scheduled to meet with parole officials back in August, but the board did not have additional information needed for his review and postponed the hearing until the week of September 6.
Chapman shot Lennon at 10:49 p.m. December 8, 1980 as he and wife Yoko Ono returned to their Manhattan apartment building, The Dakota.
Around 5:00 pm, hours before Chapman shot Lennon, he approached the singer as he and Ono were leaving their home for a recording session asking that Lennon sign a copy of his new album, Double Fantasy, which Chapman bought. Lennon, forever an artist of the people, happily obliged his fan. Photographer Paul Goresh was present when Lennon signed Chapman's album and took a photo of the event.
*SEE PHOTO BELOW*
As the Lennon’s left their limo and headed for the front door of the Dakota, they passed a deranged Chapman, who turned around and pumped four hallow point bullets into the former Beatles's back and shoulder from a .38 Special revolver. One of the bullets pierced Lennon's aorta, causing him to bleed to death.
Lennon, who would have turned 70 in October, was transported to St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan where he was pronounced dead at 11:07 pm.
Chapman, a native of Texas, and the son of a former Air Force Staff Sergeant, remained at the scene and was later arrested by the NYPD.
Charged with second degree murder, Chapman was convicted and sentenced to 20 years to life. He has been incarcerated at the Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York since 1981. Chapman has been applying for parole since October 2000. Lennon's widow has opposed every one of his previous five parole requests.
_entrance_by_David_Shankbone.jpg)
According to Lennon's Wikipedia page, on July 27, 2010 Ono said she would again oppose parole for Chapman stating that her and son Sean's safety would be at risk, as would Chapman's if he were to be paroled.
"I am afraid it will bring back the nightmare, the chaos and confusion (of that night) once again," said Ono.
In October 2002, State Parole Division spokesman Thomas Grant said, "Releasing Mark David Chapman after 22 years in prison would 'deprecate the seriousness' of the crime.
Board members stated that while Chapman had "acceptable" behavior in prison that did not guarantee he would not pose a threat to society once released.
During his 2006 parole board hearing, when asked if he murdered Lennon to become famous, Chapman answered, "The result would be that I would be famous, the result would be that my life would change and I would receive a tremendous amount of attention, which I did receive... I was in a very confused, dark place."
Inside the Mind of John Lennon's Assassin
(June 23, 1981) Chapman admits murder
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