A parole board yesterday denied John Lennon’s killer his freedom – and branded Mark David Chapman a remorseless maniac who loved wallowing in his notoriety as the man who blew away one of the Beatles.
The 45-year-old murderer – in his first parole hearing – was ordered to do at least two more years after the board told him:
“Your most vicious and violent act was apparently fueled by your need to be acknowledged, [and] during your hearing, this panel noted your continued interest in maintaining your notoriety.”
Also shaping the three-member panel’s decision was a poignant letter from Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono, who begged the board to keep Chapman locked up.
“I am afraid [his freedom] will bring back the nightmare, the chaos and confusion once again. Myself and John’s two sons, would not feel safe for the rest of our lives,” Yoko wrote.
“It is still painful for me to think of what happened that night … With his one act of violence … [Chapman] managed to change my whole life, devastate [Lennon’s] sons, and bring deep sorrow and fear to the world.
“The memory of that night has never left me for the last 20 years. It was so cruel. So unjust. My husband did not deserve this. He was in no way ready to die.”
In their ruling following a 50-minute meeting with Chapman, parole officials branded his shooting of Lennon outside the Dakota apartment building on Dec. 8, 1980, “calculated and unprovoked.”
To release him now would “deprecate the seriousness of the crime and serve to undermine respect for the law,” they said.
The rejection means the pudgy-faced killer – now serving a life term in upstate Attica prison – will be held for two more years until he is eligible for his next parole hearing in October 2002.
In an interview last week, Chapman insisted Lennon would have forgiven him and would have wanted him freed.
But in her letter, Yoko said her slain husband would have gladly swapped positions with Chapman in prison just to be alive.
“Even in confinement, John would have cherished hearing voices of people he loved, enjoyed creating songs, and simply appreciated watching the sky and its changes through the seasons,” she said.
“John cannot do any of that now. … If [Chapman] were to be released now, many will feel betrayed. Anger and fear would rise again.
“It would also give a ‘go’ signal to the others who would like to follow in the footsteps of [Chapman] to receive world attention.
“For me, [John] was the other half of the sky. For our son, Sean, he was the world. For Julian, it was losing his father twice.”