John Lennon Killer Up For Parole

Laois_Man

Mark David Chapman, convicted killer of music icon John Lennon, is up for parole for the sixth time and may be questioned this week.

A parole hearing for Chapman that had been scheduled for August was postponed until this month when the New York parole board begins its meeting Tuesday.

Chapman's latest quest for freedom comes just months short of the 30th anniversary of the death of the former member of the Beatles.

The last time Chapman was up for parole, in 2008, the New York State Division of Parole issued a release saying his request was denied "due to concern for the public safety and welfare."

He also was denied parole in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006.

Chapman, 55, is serving a sentence of 20 years to life in prison for the shooting death of Lennon outside Lennon's New York City apartment on December 8, 1980.

He has served 29 years of his sentence at the maximum-security Attica Correctional Facility, where he is held in a building with other prisoners who are not considered to pose a threat to him, according to officials with the state Department of Correctional Services.

He has his own prison cell but spends most of his day outside the cell working on housekeeping and in the library, the officials said.

For the past 20 years he has been allowed conjugal visits with his wife, Gloria.

The visits are part of a state program called "family reunion" that allows inmates to spend up to 44 hours at a time with family members in a special setting. Inmates must meet certain criteria to receive the privilege.

Chapman has not had an infraction since 1994, said Erik Kriss, spokesman for the Department of Corrections said last month.

"He goes about his business, doing his prison job and without any fanfare," Kriss said.

Yoko Ono, Lennon's widow, in previous years has submitted a letter requesting that parole be denied.

I got this from CNN website where many of the comments at the bottom seem to suggest he should be let out - Their reasoning being, that if it had been a normal Joe-Soap that he'd killed, he'd have been out at least 10-years ago - and that people who have committed far more brutal murders since then, are now out and about! Which, is probably true....but that doesn't make it right!

Plus, I believe Chapman to this day still does not show any regret for killing Lennon!

Also, if a normal Joe-Soap's killer was let out and then re-offended....while it would be embarrasing for the parole board, I really don't think it would cause as much of a storm as this guy doing it would cause. So he probably has no chance anyway!

Mr. Presentable

Give him McCartney's address.

ki

Mr. Presentable wrote: »

Give him McCartney's address.

What you think they could start a band together?

ClutchIt

Anyone who shoots somebody should stay in even longer than what Chapman has done so far. But he is being singled out.

Give him Yoko's address

miketv

"Give him McCartney's address. "
ohh thats just wrong! but a quick witted answer

Laois_Man

ClutchIt wrote: »

Give him Yoko's address

He already has it - She still lives in the Dakota building where he shot Lennon!

miketv

ClutchIt wrote: »

Anyone who shoots somebody should stay in even longer than what Chapman has done so far. But he is being singled out.

Give him Yoko's address

hahaha thats wrong too but not as wrong!

OutlawPete

Chapman has not had an infraction since 1994

He posts on Boards? :eek:

/off to the prison forum

neilthefunkeone

He should be given a medal.. Come on.. he killed the king of the hippies!!

Sanjuro

He's a murderer, and should be treated like any other murderer. The fact that he murdered a celebrity should not make the case any more special. Personally, I don't think any murderer who kills for no reason should go free, but that's just me.

stovelid

This topic was done recently.

Let him out: he's done his time.

If he hadn't have murdered one of the world's best loved singers, he'd be out by now. You can't legislate for murder on the basis of how famous the victim is.

daithimac

Is there not an agrument to be made that someone who kills someone to generate a massive global impact is a greater threat than someone who gets drunk and punches someone to many times.

Can you imagine Chapman gets out and decides to seal his name in the history books once and for all by going after a current celebrity. President Obama for instance. The guy killed someone because that was how he wanted to become famous. he's like a more evil version of Paris Hilton.

Hopefully he will die alone in his cell never seeing the light of day again.

Columbia

Sanjuro wrote: »

Personally, I don't think any murderer who kills for no reason should go free, but that's just me.

This.

6% of released murderers go on to murder again, that alone is enough to suggest that killers should never, ever be released back into society.

Penny Lane

My head says he's served his time but my heart says let him rot. He has never shown remorse for what he did so screw him.

syklops

neilthefunkeone wrote: »

He should be given a medal.. Come on.. he killed the king of the hippies!!

Posts like this is why we need a thumbs down or 'Anti-thanks' button.

ejmaztec

They should let him out and see how long he lasts. I'd say three minutes max.

who the fug

Columbia wrote: »

This.

6% of released murderers go on to murder again, that alone is enough to suggest that killers should never, ever be released back into society.

94% of them Don't , and is there a breakdown of the 6% and a source for it

hobochris

Double his time for missing Yoko Ono.

bronte

Leave him in . :mad:

Asshole.

Columbia

stovelid wrote: »

This topic was done recently.

Let him out: he's done his time.

If he hadn't have murdered one of the world's best loved singers, he'd be out by now. You can't legislate for murder on the basis of how famous the victim is.

He's done his time? So I'm entitled to go out and murder anyone I want, so long as I'm willing to spend 29 years in jail? And when I get out I've repaid my debt to society, have I?

It has nothing to do with John Lennon. If he'd murdered a hiv-ridden hobo I'd still let him rot in that cell for the rest of his life.

Hande hoche!

The Catcher in the Rye is still in print so no.

aidan24326

I heard a while back that Chapman himself doesn't want to be released, as he is afraid of the consequences (that he himelf will be an obvious target on the outside). Don't know how true that is though.

Pesonally I think he should just be treated as any other prisoner would be, and the fact he shot somebody famous shouldn't really come into it. If he's shown remorse and been rehabilitated let him out. Otherwise leave him in there. Some posters have suggested that he has never shown remorse. How do you know this?

Columbia

who the fug wrote: »

94% of them Don't , and is there a breakdown of the 6% and a source for it

Just had a google search and couldn't find it unfortunately, something I read in the last couple of months.

ejmaztec

hobochris wrote: »

Double his time for missing Yoko Ono.

If he gunned her down, he would have gotten off with a caution, and McCartney would have given him the drummer's job in Wings.

Terry

The poll needs an "I couldn't give a flying **** if he's released or not, as it will have no bearing on my life" option.

Nijmegen

He should have shot Lennon in Ireland, he'd have been out in 5. He could have raped the corpse and got a concurrent sentence.

who the fug

Terry wrote: »

The poll needs an "I couldn't give a flying **** if he's released or not, as it will have no bearing on my life" option.

The butterfly effect would beg to differ

Princess Zelda

I read a book about him once. He thinks he has a committee living in his head - slightly too crazy

Danger_dave1

Did Padraic Nally show any remorse after being convicted of manslaughter of john ward ? Yet the public were up in arms for his release .

Princess Zelda

Danger_dave1 wrote: »

Did Padraic Nally show any remorse after being convicted of manslaughter of john ward ? Yet the public were up in arms for his release .

Didnt realise John Lennon was breaking into Mark Chapman's house

lee_baby_simms

neilthefunkeone wrote: »

He should be given a medal.. Come on.. he killed the king of the hippies!!

"One thing you can't hiiiide, is that you're crippled insiiiide..."

Logical Fallacy

who the fug wrote: »

The butterfly effect would beg to differ

The butterfly effect is a metaphor.

stovelid

Columbia wrote: »

He's done his time? So I'm entitled to go out and murder anyone I want, so long as I'm willing to spend 29 years in jail? And when I get out I've repaid my debt to society, have I?

It has nothing to do with John Lennon. If he'd murdered a hiv-ridden hobo I'd still let him rot in that cell for the rest of his life.

That's for a discussion on the concept of finite prison sentences.

Which is not the discussion I'm taking part in here.

Chapman has served in excess of the normal incarceration for murder and therefore should be considered for parole like any other prisoner.

dan719

Yoko Ono asked he be denied parole? That's not quite the peace and love Lennon stood for, is it? B*tch broke up the Beatles.....:mad:

Amalgam

John Hinckley is a far bigger fruit cake.. and he's out and about, more or less.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hinckley,_Jr.

First person I think of after Chapman pops up for discussion, very similar obsessives.

Mr. Presentable

dan719 wrote: »

B*tch broke up the Beatles.....:mad:

Makes her aces in my book!

Wolfe Tone

If he killed an ordinary bloke he would have been out years ago.

lord lucan

ejmaztec wrote: »

They should let him out and see how long he lasts. I'd say three minutes max.

That's what i was thinking. For his own safety he's better off behind bars,he'll have a load of Lennon-loving fruitcakes out for his head if he ever gets released.

ejmaztec

lord lucan wrote: »

That's what i was thinking. For his own safety he's better off behind bars,he'll have a load of Lennon-loving fruitcakes out for his head if he ever gets released.

One of these being Yoko Ono with a Samurai sword.

yrwhu8jxtni06a

dan719 wrote: »

Yoko Ono asked he be denied parole? That's not quite the peace and love Lennon stood for, is it? B*tch broke up the Beatles.....:mad:

Shes bit odd,she had a tour once where you could take a look at lennons bloodstained clothes,she also has alot of influence,if you belive the "offical stories" by ono and the estate,they where a peace loving family which was far from the truth,the lennon's personal assitant fred seaman wrote an excellent book about his time he spent with the lennons,it broke the bullcrap that they where happy family infact quiet the opposite,of course the lawyers where sent out and the book is now out of print,another excellent book is "nowhere man,the final days of john lennon",its based on the stolen diary's seaman had,the author was legally barred from reproducing the diarys so had to reword and gather info from sources and interviews.

It was also on lennons naivety of new york of all places to go around with no bodyguards when infact their whereabouts where well known,apparently they fired the bodyguards week before his death,even they the last photos of lennon where infact taken by another crazed fan*often pestered lennon for a photo*,chapman has done his time and i agree with the rest that most likely the ageing hippies are only ones would more likely kill him.

Laois_Man

stovelid wrote: »

therefore should be considered for parole

He is being considered for parole (for the 6th time).
Hense, the parole interview!

Laois_Man

Terry wrote: »

The poll needs an "I couldn't give a flying **** if he's released or not, as it will have no bearing on my life" option.

Well that one is sorta covered by the invisable but still pretty obvious "If you don't give a flying ****, you won't be opening this thread in the first place will you" option!

Squiggle

Danger_dave1 wrote: »

Did Padraic Nally show any remorse after being convicted of manslaughter of john ward ? Yet the public were up in arms for his release .

I'd say he was very remorseful that he wasn't a better shot.

RockinRolla

Murder is murder.

He shouldn't be let out and the people vying for that are animals. This man has committed a terrible act of violence which resulted in the death of another human being. Now, I agree, it shouldn't be any more stiff because of the victims popularity but everyone who's jailed for murder deserves to rot in prison for life.

If Chapman gets out, I doubt his life will be worth living somehow. I'll give him four months before he's killed by some other psycho.

stovelid

RockinRolla wrote: »

and the people vying for that are animals. .

How Socratic.

Logical Fallacy

RockinRolla wrote: »

Murder is murder.

He shouldn't be let out and the people vying for that are animals. This man has committed a terrible act of violence which resulted in the death of another human being. Now, I agree, it shouldn't be any more stiff because of the victims popularity but everyone who's jailed for murder deserves to rot in prison for life.

If Chapman gets out, I doubt his life will be worth living somehow. I'll give him four months before he's killed by some other psycho.

Boards is such a confusing place, in one thread, calling for any kind of harsh punishment is being an animal, in another calling for any kind of forgiveness is being an animal.

Average sentence served in the states for murder is, i believe, about 22.5 years....so, the guy has served more, most likely because his victim was famous. So it would appear he is getting rougher treatment that the systematic norm because of the fame of his victim.

SV

How on earth is this poll staying so evenly balanced..

Mr. Presentable

SV wrote: »

How on earth is this poll staying so evenly balanced..

Believe you us, it has not been easy :pac:

flyton5

Imagine he was still a credible threat to society. It's easy if you try. There's no realistic way of keeping tabs on him. The funds for that kind of surveillance have run completely dry.

starbelgrade

SV wrote: »

How on earth is this poll staying so evenly balanced..

It is the Law of After Hours;

For every one sane, balanced & reasonable person in AH, there is an equal but opposite person.

-Trek-

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Boards is such a confusing place, in one thread, calling for any kind of harsh punishment is being an animal, in another calling for any kind of forgiveness is being an animal.

Internet forums are full of hypocrites, but that's OK you'll get used to that soon enough.