Nearly 45 years after John Lennon’s shocking death, the man who killed him remains behind bars. Mark David Chapman, now 70, has once again been denied parole, marking the 14th time his request for release has been rejected. The decision keeps him at the Green Haven Correctional Facility in Beekman, New York, where he has served most of his life sentence.
The parole board made its decision following an August 27 interview, according to records from the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Mark David Chapman, who was first eligible for parole in 2000, has faced consistent rejection ever since. His crime on December 8, 1980, outside Lennon’s New York City apartment, remains one of the most infamous celebrity murders in history.
A Crime That Shattered Millions
According to People, on that tragic night, Lennon returned home with his wife, Yoko Ono, after a recording session. Just hours earlier, he had signed a copy of his album Double Fantasy for Chapman. Later that evening, Chapman fatally shot the 40-year-old musician in front of The Dakota, their Manhattan residence.
Mark David Chapman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 1981 and received a sentence of 20 years to life. During past parole hearings, he expressed regret and admitted he killed Lennon purely for fame. In a 2020 interview with the board, he described his actions as “selfish,” “creepy,” and “despicable,” even saying he believed he deserved the death penalty.
Yoko Ono’s Continued Opposition
Lennon’s widow, now 92, has strongly opposed Chapman’s release over the decades. She wrote to the parole board several times, once calling it the “hardest letter she’d ever written,” according to David Sheff’s biography. Her concerns extend beyond personal grief. She has said Chapman’s release could reignite the fear, confusion, and chaos that followed Lennon’s murder, putting her and her family at risk.
Mark David Chapman’s next parole hearing is scheduled for February 2027. Until then, the man who ended Lennon’s life—and forever altered music history—will remain in prison, his name tied to one of the darkest moments in rock and roll.