In 1980, Mark David Chapman shot and killed Beatles icon John Lennon. He has been in prison in New York ever since. The 70-year-old recently submitted another application for probation – now what he said about his motive for the murder has become public.
October 21, 2025, 03:59October 21, 2025, 03:59
Chapman was sentenced to 20 years in prison to life in prison. He regularly submits applications for parole – he has now been behind bars for 45 years. He was also unsuccessful in his most recent attempt, the 14th.
But what Chapman specifically says about his motive for the murder becomes public knowledge: The New York Post has released a transcript of Chapman’s parole hearing. Chapman, whose condition at the time of the crime is commonly described as “mentally disturbed”, explained that he shot Lennon out of pure desire for recognition:
“It was for me and only me, and it had everything to do with his popularity.”
When asked why exactly he wanted to murder Lennon, Chapman explained:
«To be famous, to be something I wasn’t. My crime was completely selfish.”
Mark David Chapman murdered John Lennon.Image: keystone
Chapman had previously said that he “strives for fame” and “carries evil in his heart.” However, there have been no such clear statements about his motive so far.
On December 8, 1980, the day of the fatal attack, he “just knew” that this would be “the day he would meet and kill Lennon.” Chapman also explained at the hearing that he had flown from Hawaii to New York two months earlier because of Lennon. But he didn’t meet him back then.
Chapman, who was born in Texas, admired Lennon’s Beatles since he was a child. But as a young adult struggling with drug addiction and mental illness, admiration turned to obsession and his image of Lennon changed. Among other things, he saw the musician as a hypocrite who sang about a simple life in his lyrics, but now lived in luxury himself.
After Lennon had recently signed his latest album for Chapman, he shot the Beatles icon five times on the evening of December 8, 1980. Four shots hit Lennon, one of them in the carotid artery. The musician died a few minutes after the attack.
The hearing transcript also shows that Chapman apologized to Lennon’s family.
«I apologize for the destruction I have caused you, for the pain you have had to endure. I didn’t think about that at all at the time of the crime, I didn’t care.”
He now avoids the public; he no longer wants to be famous.
“Pretend I don’t exist. I don’t want to be famous anymore, period.”
The parole board didn’t listen to the 70-year-old’s words. Chapman lacks “sincere remorse or genuine compassion.” His request was therefore rejected again. The next time he can submit one is in 2027. (con)