Lennon killer sorry for being 'an idiot'

The man who murdered John Lennon has apologised for being "an idiot" as he was denied parole for an eighth time.

Mark David Chapman shot Lennon four times on December 8, 1980, in New York and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for which he was given a sentence of 20 years to life.

In his latest attempt to be released, 59-year-old Chapman told the parole board he realised many people were still hurting over the death of the Beatles icon.

According to the Independent, Chapman said: “I am sorry for causing that type of pain. I am sorry for being such an idiot and choosing the wrong way for glory.

“Many, many people loved him. He was a great and talented man and they are still hurting. I get letters so that’s a major factor. It’s not a regular crime.”

The board denied his request, saying his release would “undermine respect for the law.”

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.