John Lennon’s 'attention-seeking killer' Mark Chapman apologises for murder: 'I’m sorry'

22 September 2020, 17:21 | Updated: 15 January 2024, 11:05

John Lennon's murderer, Mark Chapman, has issued an apology for the assassination of the late Beatles singer, 40 years after his death.

Chapman shot 40-year-old John four times at close range outside his Manhattan apartment beside Yoko Ono watched on December 8, 1980.

He was denied parole at a hearing in New York on August 19, with Chapman exclaiming during the hearing that he "deserved the death penalty" for his shocking crime and revealed that he killed John "for glory".

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Chapman told the parole board at New York’s Wende Correctional Facility: "I just want to reiterate that I’m sorry for my crime. I have no excuse. This was for self-glory.

"I think it’s the worst crime that there could be to do something to someone that’s innocent.

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"He was extremely famous. I didn’t kill him because of his character or the kind of man he was.

"He was a family man. He was an icon. He was someone that spoke of things that now we can speak of and it’s great."

He added: "I assassinated him, to use your word earlier, because he was very, very, very famous and that’s the only reason and I was very, very, very, very much seeking self-glory, very selfish.

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"I want to add that and emphasise that greatly. It was an extremely selfish act.

"I’m sorry for the pain that I caused to her [Yoko]. I think about it all of the time."

Beatles and Ken Dodd

According to the Press Association, Chapman's appeal was rejected on the grounds that it "would be incompatible with the welfare of society".

Chapman said he deserved the death penalty, although it was abolished in 2007, saying: "When you knowingly plot someone’s murder and know it’s wrong and you do it for yourself, that’s a death penalty right there in my opinion.

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"Some people disagree with me, but everybody gets a second chance now. I deserve zero, nothing.

"If the law and you choose to leave me in here for the rest of my life, I have no complaint whatsoever."

The murderer was 25 at the time of the crime, but is now married with a wife who lives near the facility where he is currently imprisoned. He will next be eligible for parole in two years.