Almost 32 years ago Mark Chapman bought CATCHER IN THE RYE at a NY book store. He wrote ‘this is my statement’ and ‘Holden Caufield’. Around 5pm John Lennon exited from the building with his wife Yoko Ono. Chapman introduced himself and held out a Lennon LP. Later that evening John returned to the Dakota and Chapman shot him five times in anger over the ex-Beatle’s statement that he was more famous than Jesus
Lennon was pronounced dead at 11:07 pm at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center. He did not rise on the third day. None of the Beatles were God.
Since conviction for murder Chapman was been imprisoned in Attica and most recently transferred to Wende Correctional Facility, another maximum security facility. He had been denied parole on six occasions and this week he goes before the board a seventh time.
Yoko Ono in fear for her sons is firmly against his release as are many Beatles and Lennon fans. The only forgiveness comes from members of his evangelical church. They are Christians and Chapman has stated if paroled, “I would immediately try to find a job, and I really want to go from place to place, at least in the state, church to church, and tell people what happened to me and point them the way to Christ.”
I called up all my friends who answered their phone and they said, “No parole.”
One went as far as saying, “Hang him in the square.”
I have to admit it sounds like a good idea.
Imagine.