John Lennon's killer Mark Chapman will remain in prison after he was denied parole for the ninth time. Chapman was jailed for second degree murder in 1981, after shooting The Beatles musician four times outside his home in New York City's The Dakota building the previous year (1980). He received a sentence of 20 years to life in prison for his crime.
Last week (end28Aug16) the 61-year-old went before the New York Board of Parole's three person panel, who denied his latest request to be released, according to editors at the New York Daily News.
Chapman, who is currently imprisoned in Wende Correctional Facility in Erie County, New York, will have to wait until 2018 before he can go before the Board of Parole panel again.
The newspaper reports that since his preceding parole hearing, in 2014, the Board of Parole had received five letters campaigning for his release, and two requesting he remain in prison.
One of the letters opposing Chapman's release reportedly came from Lennon's widow Yoko Ono.
Chapman and his sister Gloria have written to Ono in an attempt to change her mind about his release, with Gloria telling Britain's Daily Mail newspaper, "Mark and I both wrote letters to her. He isn't angry or upset that she has pleaded with judges not to release him. I think he understands."
Lennon's death shocked fans around the world, with many attending a memorial on 14 December at which a 10 minute silence was observed in memory of the Imagine singer.
tv3.ie