Lennon's Killer Wants To Remain In Prison
by Billy Dukes from Ultimate Classic Rock Magazine
Last week, Mark David Chapman was denied parole for a seventh straight time since serving the minimum of his 20 year to life sentence for shooting Beatle John Lennon. That seems to be what he wants. The convicted killer says that if were granted parole he would “probably stay right where I’m at.”
ABC News reports that transcripts of the parole board interview reveal that Chapman considers himself a fully institutionalized man. “I’m so bonded that I could probably assure you that, if released, I’d probably stay right where I’m at,” he says. “You know, once you stand on a rock for 20 years and feel the waves on you and you don’t go anywhere because you’re on a rock, you don’t want to move.”
Then again, if released Chapman says he’d live with a minister in New York and begin doing odd jobs the minister had offered him in correspondence. The 57-year-old says he’s found God in the years since the 1980 killing. In fact he claims God performed a miracle for him just days before the Aug. 22 interview, but he wouldn’t say what it was.
“The timing of it and the importance of it, were so great and I cried for half an hour.”
Chapman revealed that he targeted Lennon simply because he was the most famous of the six or seven targets he had in mind. Johnny Carson and Elizabeth Taylor were others he considered. He met with Lennon just hours before the Dec. 8 killing, and says Lennon was patient with him as he gave him an autograph. After this he was conflicted, but decided to go ahead with his plan.
“If he was less famous than three or four other people on the list, he would not have been shot.”
This was posted on Ultimate Classic Rocks Magazine Facebook page
after the post there were a butt load of comments regarding it.
Mostly from blood thirsty angry Beatles fans, i BTW am NOT one of them ..I hate what he did..I don't HATE him..I feel as that bit indicates up there ..that he DOES in fact suffer from mental illness..STILL..
I agree completely with those points made by DOC ..IF he ever got out..he'd be shot down by an angry mob ..
Also I agree that Life In Prison MEANS life why should anyone be up for parole ?
The last point I'd like to make and then I'm done with this subject..
I don't think anyone deserves special treatment or attention because a celebrity was murdered. It's true that I am a fan of John Lennon ..I won't say that this case doesn't recieve plenty of media attention . And that many lesser know crimes go unknown. Murders walk free for simular or worse cases. This an inbalanced legal system.
Because John Lennon is famous , this gives his murder case more power. That can't be denied . But IF you had the power to keep a person who murdered you family or friend in jail..you can't say that you wouldn't use it ?
Julian Lennon, Sean, Yoko, May Pang and several people (inc myself) wrote letters to the parole board. They used their power to keep Chapman in jail.
but thing is EVERYONE has the right to do the same thing in any case.
20 Years ago a young woman and her toddler (who was a student in my preschool at the time) were brutally murdered by the babydaddy in my town. Nobody remembers the murder much anymore..but everytime that piece of crap comes up for parole ..I'm in the courthouse protest it. I write the parole board..I sign the petitions...I DO something..I don't sit around complaining that the justice doesn't work and John Lennons murder gets special treatment blah blah..
Lastly, Being famous DOES effect the law, but lets remember that that it goes both ways
There are PLENTY of crimes that musicians and celebs get away with BECAUSE they are famous..can buy their way out of/powerful lawyers etc
Several musician would be sitting jail for child molestation
vehicle homocide ..murder if they didn't use their power to get away with it..