John Lennon’s assassin, Mark David Chapman, denied parole for 12th time
Mark David Chapman, the man who shot and killed John Lennon in 1980, has been denied parole once more. This makes it the 12th time the assassin has been refused parole since killing the former Beatle in New York City.
The 67-year-old criminal was originally sentenced to 20 years to life. Having served long over the minimum sentence, he is still not deemed fit for release after he was denied parole by a panel in August. He will be eligible to apply once more in two years’ time.
The prison is currently housed at Green Haven Correctional Facility in New York, but according to previous parole rejections, his release remains “incompatible with the welfare and safety of society”.
While Chapman has publicly expressed regret over his actions, previous parole boards have noted that he still displays a “callous disregard” for the pain and suffering that he caused.
Back in 2012, the murderer famously declared: “It wasn’t all totally cold-blooded, but most of it was. I did try to tell myself to leave. I’ve got the album, take it home, show my wife, everything will be fine.”
Having met Lennon early that day and received a signed copy of the record, he paced New York contemplating his actions, but ultimately he added: “But I was so compelled to commit that murder that nothing would have dragged me away from that building.”
As of yet, no parole report has been publicly released. He will be able to apply once again in February 2024.
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