John Lennon’s Killer Denied Parole, 3rd of October 2000. The first parole hearing for the killer who infamously shot John Lennon in 1980, concluded with a firm decision: no release.
The killer will have the chance to reapply every two year
A small window of hope for him, but a recurring reminder for the rest of us.
The three-member panel from the New York State Parole Board sat down with the killer for a 50-minute meeting.
at the maximum-security Attica Prison, near Rochester, New York. What happened next was unusual: the panel made their decision with surprising speed. Within just four hours, they handed down a one-page written statement, delivered first to the killer himself.
John Lennon’s Killer Denied Parole
In their statement, the panel made their position clear. They told the killer who took the life of a rock legend,
“strongly believe your release to parole supervision at this time would deprecate the seriousness of the crime and serve to undermine respect for the law.”
It was a firm, no-nonsense response, leaving no room for doubt about where they stood.
the killer made the curious claim in 50-minute interview that he was no longer a threat to society. He even went so far as to suggest that John Lennon himself would have agreed to his release
“I think he would be liberal; I think he would care. I think he would probably want to see me released”
the killer
(but Yoko Ono likely wouldn’t). Read Yoko Ono’s Open Letter
It had been widely surmised that the parole board would not grant release.
Citing the inevitable distress such an action would cause to the legion of John Lennon’s devoted admirers. Over 6,000 people have signed an online petition opposing the release of the killer.
From the start, it was widely predicted that the parole board would deny his release. After all, letting the killer walk free would undoubtedly upset John Lennon’s countless fans around the world—myself included. As someone who has admired John Lennon’s music and message for years, I’ve followed this case closely.
Take a moment to reflect on some of the key moments from the killer’s testimony.
You can read the Original Interview here https://web.archive.org/web/20090221115736/http://www.courttv.com/archive/people/2000/1012/chapmantranscript.html
The Plan
I, um, flew to New York a few months before that to do that crime with full meditation in my heart. I then was able to somehow turn myself around and came back to Hawaii, and I told my wife that all was fine. And then the urges started building in me again to do this crime, and I flew back to New York on December 6th and checked into a hotel, and then on the day of December 8th, stayed outside the Dakota waiting for him with intent to shoot him and kill him.
Motive
I was feeling like I was worthless, and maybe the root of it is a self-esteem issue. I felt like nothing, and I felt if I shot him, I would become something, which is not true at all.
Well, I originally — what happened was I was in the library, and I was looking through some books, and I came across a book called “One Day at a Time”, and I saw him there with photographs in front of his residence, the Dakota, and I was full of anger and resentment, you know. I took it upon myself to judge him falsely for — for, you know, being something other than, you know, in a lotus position with a flower, and I got angry in my stupidity.
So it started with anger, but I wasn’t angry the night I shot him.
Alibi
I feel that on the night of the crime, it was an obsession, but I could have controlled it earlier. could have turned it around, and that’s why I pled guilty, because I could have stopped, you know.
I — at the time, you know, you are so swept up in it that you just kind of have to go a with where this takes you,
but earlier I could have not stepped into a river, and that’s where I was wrong.
I could have changed it, and I chose not to. I felt honestly in my I heart the Lord told me twice,
don’t do this,
you know, and I told him, no, basically and went my own way. That’s what happened.
For Now, John Lennon’s Killer Denied Parole
From the interview, the killer didn’t initially set out to target John Lennon specifically.
Instead, his plan was to kill any high-profile figure from his list. However, the published version of the interview chose to omit these names, leaving readers to wonder who else might have been on his list.
His plan was to kill any high-profile figure from his list—someone he could easily reach. Tragically, John Lennon became that target.
The parole board didn’t mince words in their initial statement denying the killer’s release. for
“most heinous and violent actions were clearly motivated by a desire for recognition.”
They also pointed out that the killer seemed intent on clinging to his notoriety, a troubling sign that he hadn’t fully let go of the dark motivations behind his crime.
Declaration
In writing about John Lennon’s death, I intend to pay tribute to him. His tragic death reverberates around the world, and the name of his killer is known around the world.
However, F!A!R have chosen not to mention the killer name.
There are several reasons why we should not name a killer.
First, it may increase their fame and attention, which may lead to copycats or other violent acts. A 2018 study published in the journal Crime & Delinquency found a correlation between media attention to killers and subsequent increases in similar offences. The study also found that high-profile killers often serve long prison sentences, which increases the likelihood of them planning future crimes.
Second, it may cause more suffering for victims and their families. Victims may feel objectified or ostracized, while the bereaved may feel distressed and violated.
For these reasons, F!A!R use the term killer rather than mentioning him directly.
