Thread: Mark David Chapman

Mark David Chapman to Make 6th Parole Board Appearance
Steven Hoffer

(Aug. 6) -- Mark David Chapman, infamous as the murderer of John Lennon, is set for his latest chance at release. He will stand before a three member panel from the New York State Division of Parole the week of August 9.

After nearly 30 years in the New York state prison system, the hearing will mark the sixth time that Chapman has appeared before a parole board since first becoming eligible in October of 2000. The 55-year-old lives in a separate unit away from the general prison population and has held a clean record of behavior since 1994. His five previous parole hearings came in October 2000, October 2002, October 2004, October 2006, and August 2008.

As previously reported by AOL News, Lennon's widow Yoko Ono has, not surprisingly, submitted a formal letter -- her sixth in as many hearings -- to the parole board opposing Chapman's release. Ono believes that releasing Chapman may put herself and her children in danger, as well as leave Chapman himself susceptible to death threats from the public.

Public death threats toward Chapman emerging in light of his potential parole are well documented among Lennon supporters. Robert Gangi, head of a prisoner's rights group known as the Correctional Association of America, noted the likelihood of outrage should Chapman be released.
"Given that he committed a high profile crime and he killed one of the most famous and most beloved figures literally in the world, it's highly unlikely three parole commissioners would vote to grant him release," Gangi told the New York Daily News.

aolnews.com

Someone who was crazy enough to stalk and kill a man who did not even know him, and had never done anything bad to him should stay locked up permanently. There are murder cases in which the suspect does not represent a danger to anyone other than his past victim, and this is not one of those cases.

^

rare common ground

John Lennon's killer Mark Chapman has another parole hearing
Mark Hughes
19 Aug 2012

The man who killed John Lennon, Mark Chapman, has launched his latest bid for freedom as he prepares for yet another parole hearing.


John Lennon with Mark Chapman outside the Dakota building, December 8 1980
Photo: PAUL GORESH

Chapman, 57, will have his seventh parole hearing this week, the New York State Department of Corrections said. A statement on whether or not he is to be released is expected by the end of the week.

Chapman is serving a 20 year sentence for shooting the former Beatle dead outside the musician's New York City apartment building on December 8, 1980. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

He has had a parole hearing every two years since 2000 and has been rejected every time.

After his hearing in 2010, the three-member parole board cited in written comments to Chapman, the "disregard you displayed for the norms of our society and the sanctity of human life" as their reasons for rejecting his request.

Ahead of that hearing, the parole division received dozens of letters arguing against Chapman's release, including one from Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, who said she believed Chapman posed a risk to her, Lennon's two sons, the public and himself.

This week's hearing will take place at Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, New York, where Chapman is being held. He was transferred there in May from Attica Correctional Facility where he had been held for 31 years.

Chapman shot Lennon four times in the back outside the Dakota apartment building in Manhattan, New York, where Lennon was living at the time.

At Chapman's parole hearing in September 2010, he told the board that there were other names on his list of potential targets including the talk show host Johnny Carson and Elizabeth Taylor.

"If it wasn't Lennon, it could have been someone else," he said, adding that he chose the singer because he was "more accessible".

Chapman also explained why he had decided to murder a celebrity.

He added: "I felt that by killing John Lennon I would become somebody and, instead of that, I became a murderer, and murderers are not somebodies. Instead of taking my life I took somebody else's, which was unfortunate."

At his 2010 hearing Chapman said he expected to be left in jail, adding:

"The average person on the street would probably say 'Leave him in' and I understand that."

telegraph.co.uk

Originally Posted by BobR

Someone who was crazy enough to stalk and kill a man who did not even know him, and had never done anything bad to him should stay locked up permanently.

This would include soldiers [at war] in the field?
A definitive description you have set.

Originally Posted by FailSafe

I would bet that had he killed someone who wasn't famous (with the other circumstances of the crime being the same), he would have been out years ago.

But he did not. I bet on no parole again. Why let the fucking nutter out. He already has enough privileges.

there was no motivation for this killing, it was almost a random killing in that the victim was not known to the killer. chapman is insane.
therefore it is highly likely that he could kill again just as soon as his cerebral synapses start fizzing uncontrolably and firing up the voices in his head again.

people like this need to be locked up and the keys thrown away. how come he wasnt executed anyway?

Another good reason for capital punishment, every time these paroles come up the family have to relive the events again.
When executed, it's closure, not only for the family, but for society as a whole.
Somewhat one-sided on this one, my dad used to walk him to school at times and lead to believe he came a visiting when I was a baby. Jim

I think execution wasn't on the table as the prosecution felt his mental state would have made it a no-win situation- 31+ years of imprisonment and virtual isolation was probably a worse punishment.

should have strapped the bastard into the chair and given him a zapping at half power to re programme his brain.

then locked him up for 30 years.

Originally Posted by Panty Hamster

Good point FailSafe.
The same standard should be applied to all killers.

Is it more horrific when a child is killed, or an 80-year-old man?

I say no. Keep silly emotions out of it.
Easier said than done.....as you don't

When it comes to life or death, John Lennon was no different than anyone else. He would probably agree with me.
Probably wouldn't have....

If Chapman had been jailed in Britain, he'd have been released and reoffended six or seven times by now.

You know this for sure? Or are you allowing your petty hatred towards everything "Brittle" to obscure your senses.
Remember, John was knighted as well - still holds.

Remember, John was knighted

Who gives a flying fvck?
It's no more horrific than if he murdered a homeless person on the street.
Why would anyone value John Lennon's life more than a panhandler's?
Indeed, one might argue that Lennon lived a life of luxury and never suffered the daily grind like so many mortals. He had his fill.

Chang time.

Is that your reply? Rather weak, but predictable.
Celebrity does not render a murder more horrific.

The media created John Lennon's fame.

Chapman used the media to become famous by killing a famous media product.

The media are still promoting him 30 years after he committed that crime.

If Chapman gets out he will be targeted because of his media driven fame.

It's the media's fault I reckon.

Lennon is still dead , let Chapman out when Lennon comes back to life .

Originally Posted by FailSafe

I'd be fine with keeping Chapman jailed for life, but does the killing of a celebrity (I know that Lennon was way more than that) call for a harsher punishment than the murder of an anonymous person?

I would bet that had he killed someone who wasn't famous (with the other circumstances of the crime being the same), he would have been out years ago.

Exactly.

Originally Posted by Mid

Chapman is serving a 20 year sentence

It's been a long "twenty" years...

Actually 20 years to life .

Originally Posted by taxexile

there was no motivation for this killing, it was almost a random killing in that the victim was not known to the killer. chapman is insane. therefore it is highly likely that he could kill again just as soon as his cerebral synapses start fizzing uncontrolably and firing up the voices in his head again. people like this need to be locked up and the keys thrown away. how come he wasnt executed anyway?

You are all leaving out J. D. Salinger, the author of "Catcher In the Rye". Reading this book convinced the loon to kill Lennon.

Almost all high school students in the USA have to read and analyse that book in their third or forth year in high school. He is the only one to interpret as to kill John Lennon. He should have been in loony bin from the beginning.
Dont forget he met him earlier in the day, and Lennon gave him an autograph. Premeditation in my opinion, but he is one sick puppy.

Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

Originally Posted by FailSafe

I'd be fine with keeping Chapman jailed for life, but does the killing of a celebrity (I know that Lennon was way more than that) call for a harsher punishment than the murder of an anonymous person?

I would bet that had he killed someone who wasn't famous (with the other circumstances of the crime being the same), he would have been out years ago.

Exactly.

+1

Can almost make a case for someone important, but not an entertainer.