Mark David Chapman, who shot and killed Beatles legend John Lennon outside his New York home on 8 December 1980, has been denied parole for the 14th time.
The 70-year-old remains behind bars at Green Haven Correctional Facility in New York, serving a 20 years to life sentence for one of the most shocking murders in music history.
The October 2025 parole hearing came nearly 45 years after Lennon's murder. However, officials again refused his release, calling the killing 'senseless and selfish' and saying Chapman's motives still cause anguish to Lennon's family and fans worldwide.
'I Wanted to Be Famous'
According to a Globe Magazine report, Chapman admitted during the hearing that he murdered Lennon purely for attention.
'To be famous, to be something I wasn't. And then I just realised, there's a goal here I don't have to die and I can be somebody,' he said.
Chapman described the shooting as 'completely selfish', acknowledging that it had everything to do with Lennon's fame.
'This was for me and me alone,' he said. 'It had everything to do with his popularity.'
He apologised for the grief he caused Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, and their sons, Sean and Julian Lennon, telling the board:
'I apologise for the devastation... the agony they must have gone through. I had no thought about that at the time. I didn't care.'
The Murder That Shook the World
On 8 December 1980, Lennon, aged 40, returned home to The Dakota apartment building after a recording session when Chapman, who had been waiting outside, shot him four times in the back. Two bullets struck Lennon in the left shoulder and chest. He was rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Earlier that evening, Lennon had autographed a copy of Double Fantasy for Chapman, who later told police that voices in his head compelled him to act. He claimed he identified with the character Holden Caulfield from JD Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, believing Lennon was 'a phoney'.
The murder stunned the world, silencing one of music's greatest visionaries and leaving an unhealed wound in popular culture.
Why Parole Was Denied
In its decision, the New York State Board of Parole said Chapman's release 'would undermine respect for the law' and pose a potential threat to public safety. Officials described his crime as a 'callous disregard for human life' and noted that the pain caused to Lennon's loved ones 'remains immeasurable.'
Chapman has been denied parole every two years since 2000. The board acknowledged his remorse but said his motive — seeking fame through murder — continues to be deeply troubling. His next hearing is scheduled for 2027.
Yoko Ono, who has repeatedly opposed his release, submitted another written statement expressing her fear that Chapman's freedom could 'reignite trauma' for her family and millions of Lennon's admirers.
A Life Behind Bars
Now entering his fifth decade in prison, Chapman lives in protective custody at Green Haven Correctional Facility, where he spends most of his time reading and writing. He told the parole board that he has accepted his fate.
'My crime was selfish. I was seeking glory I didn't deserve. I'm sorry, but I know I can't change what I did,' he said.
The decision ensures that the man who once sought fame through violence remains forever defined by it — remembered not for infamy, but for taking the life of one of music's most beloved voices.
