Mark David Chapman - biography, information, personal life. Chapman Mark David: biography Mark David Chapman now

Mark Chapman is known throughout the world, but his fame is negative. In pursuit of popularity, a man killed a participant in the beloved American TV show, depriving fans of their idol.

Childhood and youth

Mark was born in Fort Worth, American state Texas, spring 1955. His father served in the US Air Force as a master sergeant, and his mother worked as a nurse.

There was another child in the Chapman family - daughter Susan, she is 7 years old younger than brother. The boy’s childhood was difficult, according to Mark, when he was little, he did not like his father and was very afraid of him, since he often offended his mother and could even raise a hand against her.

The boy received his education in high school in Decatur County, Georgia. At the age of 10, he began to develop a love for the group “The Beatles”, he even learned to play the guitar and performed in a school rock band, and for a long time collected records of his favorite musicians. His love for the artists was also reflected in the appearance of Mark’s room, which he covered with posters and photos of John Lennon and other members of the band. In imitation of his idols, he dressed like them and even grew long hair.

The boy from a disadvantaged family was not a good student, and at the age of 14 he began skipping classes and tried drugs for the first time. At 15, Mark runs away from home and spends the next 2 weeks wandering the streets of Atlanta. Bullying from classmates also contributed to this.

Chapman was not athletic, so he was often bullied and even beaten. Soon he returned to his native school and continued his studies.

During his absence, the young man joined the “Association of Young Christians” and actively promoted the interests of the organization. Faith in God, which has since become an integral part of his biography, radically changed his appearance.

Since then he began to wear a neat short haircut, always wore only a white, ironed shirt with a tie and a formal suit. And during recess, all I did was read the Holy Scriptures. During the same period, the guy began selling Beatles records he had collected over the years.

Career

Immediately after graduation, Chapman did not go to get a profession, he lived for some time in Chicago and played guitar in local clubs there, and also did not forget about visiting churches, since he was still part of the Young Christian Association. The guy worked hard and helped the children. At the same time, he worked in a refugee camp, many spoke positively about him, noting his attention and care.

Returning back, Mark enters the evangelical liberal arts college. By that time, The Beatles had already broken up, and the guy again began to be overcome by thoughts about his idol. This prevents him from studying; Chapman lags far behind his fellow students and does not have time to master the material, so he was expelled after the 1st semester.

IN free time he rereads the novel “The Catcher in the Rye” and often takes on the role of the main character, who questions the values of society and often rejects the norms accepted in it.

After leaving college, Chapman returns to work in a refugee camp, but soon leaves there due to a quarrel with management. After that, he worked as a security guard for some time. Throughout this period, he is depressed, from which he cannot get out, and a little later he goes to Hawaii, where he attempts suicide. The man is sent to psychiatric hospital and are diagnosed with clinical depression. Meanwhile, Mark's parents are divorcing, and his mother comes to Hawaii to join her son. He was treated for some time and was later discharged.

At 24, Chapman embarked on a 6-week trip around the world, visiting Bangkok and Singapore, Seoul, Geneva, Delhi and other cities. After his marriage in 1979, he worked as a night watchman; at that time the man drank heavily, and against this background Mark began to develop obsessive ideas. There is a strange symbiosis in his head - the views of the author of the book “The Catcher in the Rye” Salinger and the singer Lennon are mixed with an inexplicable desire to gain fame and love.

At the same time, the man begins to imagine himself as Lennon and Caulfield rolled into one, gradually losing the ability to think rationally. Moreover, he himself was aware of the problem and once even wrote a letter to his friend Linda Irish, which included the words “I’m going crazy.”

Personal life

Mark's first love was a certain Jessica Blankenship, with whom he went to college. He had trembling feelings for her, so after breaking up he fell into depression.

WITH future wife Mark met Gloria Abe while traveling around the world. She worked as a travel agent, helping a man choose cities for his trip. It was then that the young people began a relationship, and in the early summer of 1979 they got married. They had no children. The man’s personal life was quite successful.

John Lennon's murder

Before heading to New York to kill Lennon, Chapman admitted to his wife that he was obsessed with this thought and even showed her a pistol loaded with ammunition. However, the woman chose to remain silent and did not contact the police and psychiatric clinic.

Gloria Abe in her youth and now

Mark also said that a few days before leaving, while watching TV, he saw the words “Thou shalt not kill” on the screen. This affected him so much that the man even made an appointment with a psychologist. But the meeting with the doctor never took place, as Chapman went to New York.

Upon arrival in New York, the man checked into a hotel, and on December 8, 1980, leaving his things in the room, he went to the store and bought new book“The Catcher in the Rye” and signed it with the phrase “This is my statement.” He had to spend most of the day at the house in Manhattan where Lennon lived, while Mark was not hiding, he was talking with the doorman, the artist’s housekeeper and other people. At this time he was waiting for John to appear.

In the middle of the day, Lennon left the house and headed to the recording studio. Chapman approached him and asked him to autograph the Double Fantasy album, the singer complied with the man’s request, this moment is captured in the photograph. With him was photographer Paul Goresh, who took the last lifetime photograph of the great artist. He also promised Mark that he would make a copy of the photograph, and he, under the pretext of waiting, remained standing at the entrance to the studio.

In 2011, the same record signed by Lennon was sold at auction for £530,000.

At about 11 pm Lennon left the studio, Chapman called out to the man, after which he fired 5 shots, 4 of which hit the singer. John fell, and Mark, meanwhile, sat down on the asphalt under a lantern and began reading a book he had purchased in advance. He did not try to hide or run away, and when the police arrived, the man was arrested.

Lennon was bleeding, so eyewitnesses to the incident decided not to wait for the ambulance to arrive. He was taken to the hospital in a police car, but doctors were unable to save the singer and he was pronounced dead almost immediately. Within a few hours, the whole country learned that a member of The Beatles had been shot.

Investigation and imprisonment

Chapman's first lawyer, Herbert Adlerberg, refused to help him because fans were ready to attack anyone who took his side, including John Lennon's murderer himself. Another lawyer, Jonathan Marks, volunteered to defend the man’s interests, and chose the tactic of referring to mental disorder, which Mark suffered. But in June 1981, the arrested person refused to defend himself and asked the court to declare himself sane. Meanwhile, the lawyer tried to challenge this decision. But the judge accepted Chapman's plea and also took into account the man's guilty plea.

A few months later the verdict was announced. When Chapman himself was given the floor, the man read lines from the book “The Catcher in the Rye” and also admitted that he came to New York that day with the sole purpose of killing Lennon. He needed this to assert himself and attract attention to his person.

The court took into account all the circumstances of the case. Despite the painstaking work of psychologists and psychiatrists who made various diagnoses (paranoid schizophrenia, manic depression, personality disorder, psychosis, etc.), the man was declared sane and sentenced to life imprisonment with the right to apply for pardon after 20 years.

Documentary"Five Bullets for Lennon"

2 years after the events, Chapman agreed to give an interview in which he explained why he did it. According to Mark, he planned the murder of Lennon for 3 months. The motive was the artist’s statement that “The Beatles” are more popular. The reason for the murder of such a bright personality was that Mark dreamed of fame and hoped to get it by taking the life of a celebrity. He also claimed that he heard ominous whispers calling for the artist to be killed.

After his conviction in 1981, Chapman was sent to the Attica maximum security prison, which is located outside of Buffalo, New York. He stayed there until 2012, after which the criminal was transferred to Erie County, New York, to a prison called Wende. In 2000, he first used the right to apply for a pardon, since at that time he had served exactly 20 years of his sentence. The court refused the man. An application for parole can be submitted once every 2 years. So far, Chapman has not missed a single opportunity, although he is rejected every time.

In memory of the legendary member of the Beatles group John Lennon, the film “Chapter 27” was released in 2007. This is a biographical drama that tells the story of the last hours of the life of a musician and murderer. The role of Mark Chapman in this film was played by.

Mark Chapman now

Chapman is still in prison in New York State. Last time The man filed a petition for pardon in August 2018, but the court refused to release him for the 10th time. The next time a man will be able to file a petition is in 2020.

In 1981, Mark Chapman was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of ex-Beatles member John Lennon, committed a year earlier. However, according to US laws, after 20 years from the date of committing the crime, he received the right to apply for early release every two years. Chapman took advantage of this opportunity as soon as it presented itself to him, in 2000. At the time, he told the parole board that he had “overcome his psychological problems"and is no longer dangerous to society. However, Lennon's widow Yoko Ono said that neither she nor the singer's children Julian and Sean would feel safe if Chapman was released from prison. In addition, the killer infuriated Lennon's fans by saying that the singer himself would probably have forgiven him: "I think he would have been generous, he would have taken care of me." As a result, a special commission decided to leave Chapman in prison. Repeated hearings in 2002 coincided with John Lennon's 62nd birthday, and Chapman was again unable to be released. His third clemency application will be heard by the New York State Parole Board on October 4. Officials have so far declined to make predictions about the upcoming hearing, but John Lennon fans sincerely hope that Chapman will be denied again. In this regard, one of the Internet sites has already begun collecting signatures for a petition calling on the commission to reject the petition and completely deprive Chapman of the right to pardon. Otherwise, John Lennon's fans threaten the killer with violence. “Chapman should be executed. If they don’t do this, I will gladly deal with him myself,” wrote a fan from Finland. “Mark David Chapman is a bloody killer. He doesn't deserve to be released from prison, not just for what he did to John Lennon, but for what he did to Julian, Sean, Yoko, Ringo, George, Paul and all of us. Let him rot in prison! - writes another fan. - If Chapman is released from prison, he will not live a day. Too many people want him dead." It is noteworthy that the New York police officially refused to provide security for Chapman if he received his freedom. “Guarding an ex-criminal is not the job of the police. If necessary, Chapman should be provided with security by the state parole board,” the New York Police Department press officer coolly stated.

"I killed my double in Lennon"

Mark Chapman was born into the family of a bank employee and housewife, David and Diana Chapman, in North Carolina in October 1955. At the age of 15, Chapman, who felt a strong desire to assert himself, let his hair grow long, began smoking marijuana and constantly carrying a Bible with him, which he quoted at every opportunity. At the age of 16, Chapman joined the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). In 1975, as part of a humanitarian mission, he even traveled to Lebanon, where he recruited new members of the movement and preached Christian values as interpreted by the YMCA. In addition, Chapman was interested in music, He himself played the guitar well. His idols were such rock stars as Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and, of course, John Lennon. Beginning in 1977, Chapman began to suffer from attacks of acute depression, as his career and personal life remained unsettled. Over the years, he became disillusioned with Lennon, because he, they say, “betrayed himself, exchanging dreams for wealth.” Chapman more than once started talking about the fact that the leader of The Beatles was a “traitor,” and at the same time tried to be like his idol in everything. He even married an American of Japanese origin, Gloria Abe. On October 27, 1980, Mark Chapman purchased a short-barreled pistol and began to wander around New York, carefully considering a certain plan. Later, at the trial, he would say that he was forced to kill Lennon. inner voice, to whom the little men spoke." Chapman spent the entire day of December 8 near the musician’s house, surrounded by his fans, and even took an autograph from Lennon himself - at 16.30 he signed his latest record, “Double Fantasy,” for him. Eight hours later, when the ex-Beatle's limousine stopped in front of his house and Lennon headed towards the front door, he was called out. The musician stopped and turned around at the exclamation. Five shots were fired, all of them reaching their target. Mark Chapman didn't even try to hide. He was immediately arrested and sent for psychiatric examination. As a result of a trial that lasted a year, Chapman received a life sentence. Speaking with the last word At the sentencing, the killer said: “Lord, Lennon knows there are two of us. I have to reduce us to one. In it I killed my double.”

Sit!
Mario 08.07.2006 12:57:32

People like Chapman cannot be acquitted, no matter how much time has passed, let alone 20 years. for the murder of a person like Lennon this is not a sentence. Why is the man who attempted to assassinate the President of America sentenced to life imprisonment and he is still in prison? An assassination attempt on the President is worth more than the death of a great musician???

Chapman's release
Someone 26.03.2007 08:55:42

This man does not understand that he killed an innocent person. He says he has overcome his psychological difficulties. But that's not true. He will never defeat them, and even if he is released, he will die very soon, since the whole world has turned its back on him. Even if he is released, he will not survive anyway. Not because he will be killed, although such a possibility is not excluded, but rather he will commit suicide. Universal loneliness is what awaits him. That's why I'm in favor of letting him go. Prison is too easy for him. And he's waiting for him in freedom eternal torment until the end of his days. Freedom will turn into a worthy punishment for him. In prison he is not among people at all. And no one is waiting for him when he is free.

M.D.H
Nikita 22.11.2007 04:49:02

Lennon was certainly a complex man, but this loser has no right to take the life of a genius. This is a crime on a global scale, against a person on a global scale. What release can there be for Chapman? Let him sit. It wasn't hard to steal the soul from the 70s. Let him sit. Farts in his nose. Why didn’t he commit suicide yet...weakly?!

Mark David Chapman was born in 1955 in Texas to the family of US Air Force sergeant David Curtis Chapman and nurse Katherine Elizabeth Peace. At the age of ten he became an avid Beatlemaniac, then played guitar in a school rock band and that's it. school years collected The Beatles records. His room was plastered with posters of idols. In imitation of them, he grew his hair long and dressed invariably a la the Beatles. Chapman was 15 years old at the time of the Beatles' breakup; a year later he disappeared from Atlanta, where he lived and studied. He was said to have gone to Los Angeles. After some time, Chapman returned to continue his studies at school. During his absence, he joined the Young Christian Association and became its activist, which is why he appearance changed dramatically - now he wore a short, neat haircut, a white shirt and a strict black tie; During school breaks I carefully studied the Holy Scriptures. Also, in his free time, he walked around the school and offered everyone to buy records from his Beatles collection.

In 1970, he became a follower of the religious movement "Renaissance" and was outraged by Lennon's remark "We are more popular than Jesus", calling it blasphemy. He later stated that he was further angered by the songs "God" and "Imagine". He even claimed in his testimony that he liked to sing the latter with the changed lyrics: "Imagine John Lennon dead" (with English - “Imagine John Lennon is dead”).

After school, Chapman did not study anywhere and did not have a specific profession. From the time he left school until his arrest at the Dakota Gate, he traveled extensively as an "Asiatic Refugee Agent"; the geography of his travels included South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Lebanon and England. From Lebanon, Chapman brought a tape recording of a street shootout. At home, he often listened to this tape several times in a row. According to eyewitnesses, she “excited him greatly and at the same time terrified him.”

In the last years before the assassination attempt on John Lennon, Chapman lived with his wife Gloria on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. In December 1979, he took a job as a caretaker at the Waikiki Cooperative Housing in downtown Honolulu, only to quit less than a year later. On his last day of work at Waikiki (October 23, 1980), Chapman signed his work log not as “Mark Chapman” but as “John Lennon.” Having settled with Waikiki, Chapman bought a pistol, borrowed $2,000 in cash and, without properly explaining to his wife where he was going, crossed the Pacific Ocean.

John Lennon's murder

Petitions for pardon

In 2000, twenty years after his conviction, Mark David Chapman became eligible to apply for clemency and parole; in case of refusal, the next application may be submitted after 2 years. Once every two years, starting in 2000, in August, Chapman submits another petition; a total of 10 petitions for clemency were submitted (the last one in August 2018), each of which was rejected. He will be able to submit his next petition no earlier than August 2020. The very fact that Chapman filed a pardon petition caused a negative public reaction.

Yoko Ono, before considering her first petition in October 2000, sent a letter to the New York State Pardons Commission. Calling Chapman a "subject", Yoko wrote, in part, that she would not feel safe if he were released, and that releasing Chapman would be unfair to John Lennon, who did not deserve to die; in addition, Chapman's release could lead to violence against himself. On October 3, 2000, the clemency board reviewed and rejected Chapman's first petition, in which he argued that he had overcome his psychological problems and was no longer a danger to society. The commission's decision, in particular, noted that Chapman remained interested in maintaining his fame, which was the motive for the murder.

In addition, the commission is firmly convinced that your parole is at the moment would diminish the seriousness of the crime and serve to undermine respect for the law.

Original text (English)
Additionally, this panel strongly believes that your release to parole supervision at this time would deprecate the seriousness of the crime and serve to undermine respect for the law

Lawyer Robert Gangi, a member of the New York State Correctional Association, opined that Chapman would likely never be pardoned because the release of John Lennon's killer would cause a political uproar.

Mark Chapman, John Lennon's killer, could be released next month. The request for his early release will be considered on October 4. Lennon's fans promise that if Chapman is released from prison, he will not live another day.

"I'll be happy to deal with him"

In 1981, Mark Chapman was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of ex-Beatles member John Lennon, committed a year earlier. However, according to US laws, after 20 years from the date of committing the crime, he received the right to apply for early release every two years. Chapman took advantage of this opportunity as soon as it presented itself to him, in 2000. At the time, he told the parole board that he had “overcome his psychological problems” and was no longer a danger to society. However, Lennon's widow Yoko Ono said that neither she nor the singer's children Julian and Sean would feel safe if Chapman was released from prison. In addition, the killer infuriated Lennon's fans by saying that the singer himself would probably have forgiven him: "I think he would have been generous, he would have taken care of me." As a result, a special commission decided to leave Chapman in prison. Repeated hearings in 2002 coincided with John Lennon's 62nd birthday, and Chapman was again unable to be released. His third clemency application will be heard by the New York State Parole Board on October 4. Officials have so far declined to make predictions about the upcoming hearing, but John Lennon fans sincerely hope that Chapman will be denied again. In this regard, one of the Internet sites has already begun collecting signatures for a petition calling on the commission to reject the petition and completely deprive Chapman of the right to pardon. Otherwise, John Lennon's fans threaten the killer with violence. “Chapman should be executed. If they don’t do this, I will gladly deal with him myself,” wrote a fan from Finland. “Mark David Chapman is a bloody killer. He doesn't deserve to be released from prison, not just for what he did to John Lennon, but for what he did to Julian, Sean, Yoko, Ringo, George, Paul and all of us. Let him rot in prison! - writes another fan. - If Chapman is released from prison, he will not live a day. Too many people want him dead." It is noteworthy that the New York police officially refused to provide security for Chapman if he received his freedom. “Guarding an ex-criminal is not the job of the police. If necessary, Chapman should be provided with security by

State Parole Board,” said the New York Police Department press officer coolly.

"I killed my double in Lennon"

Mark Chapman was born into the family of a bank employee and housewife, David and Diana Chapman, in North Carolina in October 1955. At the age of 15, Chapman, who felt a strong desire to assert himself, let his hair grow long, began smoking marijuana and constantly carrying a Bible with him, which he quoted at every opportunity. At the age of 16, Chapman joined the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). In 1975, as part of a humanitarian mission, he even traveled to Lebanon, where he recruited new members of the movement and preached Christian values as interpreted by the YMCA. In addition, Chapman was interested in music, He himself played the guitar well. His idols were such rock stars as Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and, of course, John Lennon. Beginning in 1977, Chapman began to suffer from attacks of acute depression, as his career and personal life remained unsettled. Over the years, he became disillusioned with Lennon, because he, they say, “betrayed himself, exchanging dreams for wealth.” Chapman more than once started talking about the fact that the leader of The Beatles was a “traitor,” and at the same time tried to be like his idol in everything. He even married an American of Japanese origin, Gloria Abe. On October 27, 1980, Mark Chapman purchased a short-barreled pistol and began to wander around New York, carefully considering a certain plan. Later, at the trial, he would say that he was forced to kill Lennon by “the inner voice that the little ones spoke.” little men." Chapman spent the entire day of December 8 near the musician’s house, surrounded by his fans, and even took an autograph from Lennon himself - at 16.30 he signed his latest record, “Double Fantasy,” for him. Eight hours later, when the ex-Beatle's limousine stopped in front of his house and Lennon headed towards the front door, he was called out. The musician stopped and turned around at the exclamation. Five shots were fired, all of them reaching their target. Mark Chapman didn't even try to hide. He was immediately arrested and sent for psychiatric examination. As a result of a trial that lasted a year, Chapman received a life sentence. Speaking at the sentencing, the killer said: “Lord, Lennon knows there are two of us. I have to reduce us to one. In it I killed my double.”

26.11.2011 - 14:02

Fame comes in different forms. Someone creates it by writing a brilliant book or an outstanding novel, and someone gets into history by committing a terrible crime. Mark David Chapman became famous for killing John Lennon - killing because the "little men" in his head told him to...

American teenager

Mark was born in Atlanta in October 1955, the son of a bank employee and a housewife. Chapman's childhood and youth occurred in an era when America's youth actively rebelled against the ideals of their fathers and lived by the principle of "Sex, drugs, rock and roll." Mark kept up with his peers - he smoked weed, and at 14 he ran away from home and went into long haul on US roads.

Life did not spoil the adventures of a runaway teenager, and by the age of twenty, Chapman, as it might seem, had settled down. In any case, he now had a completely worthy goal, from the point of view of a respectable American: to get an education and become a full member, and then, if possible, the leader of the Christian Youth Union.

Mark takes his college exams and becomes freelancer HSM, conscientiously pays dues and fulfills all the tasks of the union: goes on a humanitarian mission to Beirut, then helps Vietnamese refugees. Mark gets a job (he gets a job as a security guard near the college) and a girlfriend. In his free time, he constantly rereads Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, a book that at that time became a real "bible" for teenagers and young adults, and listens to the Beatles.

However, in 1977, the process of turning the “rebel” into a full member of society stalled: Mark’s parents divorced; For some reason, he himself began to quickly gain weight and abandoned his studies and the Christian Union. Plus, his girlfriend left him. On the one hand, these are not such serious troubles, but they had a completely unpredictable effect on Chapman.

One day, he rented a car, went to a secluded place and, having connected a rubber hose to the exhaust pipe and pushed it into the cabin, locked himself from the inside, turning on the engine. He was saved by accident - the hose burned out before carbon monoxide filled his lungs. Mark did not attempt suicide again, but this act clearly characterizes his mental state.

Why John Lennon?

As already mentioned, Mark was fond of the Beatles. However, he was more attracted not by the music of the famous four, but by the philosophy itself, the views on life expressed by the leader of the Beatles. At first, Mark literally worshiped Lennon, tried to learn to play the guitar “like the Beatles,” and he even succeeded.

But the stronger the passion, the more painful it is. For Mark, this process resulted in real mania. His wife Gloria Abe, 18 months before the tragedy, recalled that Mark often loudly accused Lennon of “betraying ideals”, that the singer exchanged the freedom that he sang and his fans for wealth and “quiet vegetation.”

Already in prison, he said: “I felt completely defeated. I looked at his photographs. Put yourself in my place. Here he is standing on the roof of a luxurious building. So young and beautiful! He encouraged us to develop our imagination and not be greedy. And I believed him! All the walls of my room were covered with photographs of the Beatles. I believed that they were not doing all this for money. From the age of ten I was imbued with the rightness of John Lennon, I accepted him with all my heart... But suddenly I discovered “little people” in my head. I talked to them every day, asking them what I should do. And it was they, the “little men,” who convinced me to kill the famous musician John Lennon.”

In 1980, Mark moved to New York - closer to his former idol...

Five shots

Chapman stayed at the New York YMCA on December 7, 1980, but moved to an expensive hotel the very next day. He spent the next day in front of Lennon's house with his new album under his arm. He also had a pistol and the book “The Catcher in the Rye.”

At exactly 16.30 Lennon came out into the street, accompanied by Yoko. He headed towards the limousine, but at that time Chapman emerged from the crowd and asked for an autograph. “Lennon was very cordial to me,” Chapman later said. “I handed him the album, and he took out a black pencil and, while signing, scratched it on the cover. He tried to write out the first letter of his name, then scratched it a couple more times and laughed. Then he wrote: “John Lennon” and below “1980.” Handing me the album, he asked: “Is that all you want?” And I said, "Thank you, John." Now I think about his words back then: “Is that all you want?” It seems he had a presentiment of his death."

That evening, Chapman returned to the musician’s house again. John Lennon's car arrived at half past eleven. The singer slammed the door and headed towards the entrance. Mark called out to him and when Lennon looked back, he aimed five bullets from his...

When the police arrived, Mark was sitting on the sidewalk reading The Catcher in the Rye...

"Mentally abnormal..."

America hated Mark Chapman. The first lawyer invited, a passionate Beatles fan himself, refused to defend him. The second said that Lennon’s killer would be acquitted, since, according to psychologists, Mark was insane. Psychiatrist Robert Marvit, who was looking for motives for the murder, said: “Mark began signing Lennon’s name. It's safe to say that he believed he was Lennon or was becoming one.

At a critical moment, Chapman could say to himself: "Lord, Lennon knows there are two of us. I have to reduce them to one." But if we look at the phenomenon of Mark David Chapman as a whole, I am not sure that we will ever know what really controlled him, what set this diabolical mechanism in motion.”

For the murder of John Lennon, the court sentenced Chapman to life imprisonment in Attica prison (New York state). After 20 years behind bars, he became eligible for parole in 2000, which he has since applied for every two years, as allowed by law.

Eleven years ago, when he first filed his petition, Mark claimed that he had forever gotten rid of the “little people” in his brain that pushed him to commit this senseless and cruel crime. He tried to prove that he had recovered from a psychological disorder and no longer heard the voices that forced him to shoot the musician. But he was denied release - the memory of John Lennon was still too fresh.

A representative of the parole commission said that they received fifty letters and a petition signed by 1,100 people demanding that Mark Chapman not be released, and only three letters asking for his release. Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, also joined the opponents of early release.

Since then, every two years Mark submits another petition. The last time he asked the court for clemency was in September 2010. And in once again he was refused. He will be able to submit his next application in August 2012.

(UPD. In August 2012, Mark Chapman was denied a pardon for the seventh time).