Chapman cancels plans, eats more oatmeal....

http://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/10/09/chapman.parole/index.html

It doesn't look like anyone's mentioned this yet. If it has, Gort may delete.


NEW YORK (CNN) -- John Lennon's killer has been denied parole a second time, the New York State Division of Parole announced Wednesday.

The parole board announced its decision on Mark David Chapman's parole request after meeting Tuesday. Chapman can make another request for parole in October 2004, said Tom Grant, a spokesman for the parole division.

Transcripts of the parole board meeting were not immediately available.

Chapman was previously denied parole October 3, 2000, by the board. Chapman is serving his sentence at Attica state prison in western New York.

Chapman, 47, is serving 20 years to life after pleading guilty to shooting the former Beatle outside Lennon's Manhattan apartment in December 1980.

Under New York state law, Chapman became eligible for parole once he had served 20 years.

In a July 2000 interview with Court TV, Chapman said "I think the depression is over. The mental illness is over."

Since the shooting, Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, has become an advocate against gun violence.

For the October 2000 parole hearing, Ono wrote a letter that reportedly opposed granting parole because of concerns over her safety and the safety of her two sons.

 

That F****er should rot! Parole? He's better now...

 

Yeah, does he really want to get out? It's probably the only place in the world he's safe.

 

I think the chances are very real that someone may try to "get" him if he is released. This is why he is in solitary in Attica. Let him rot there! he, and we, know that he will not see daylight until a very old man, if ever. And rightfully so!

 

He must stay locked up for the rest of his life. Simple as that.

 

So very true, guys. Many of you mentioned before that this would happen. Many more people sick and sane still upset enough to give him 'street justice'.

Mark, can you sign this book for me? I'm your biggest fan!

 

He should not be let out. I think he's still saying things like he feels so bad for the family and "forgives" John Lennon. People like that "do not" get better....


Todd

 

Not being familiar with the details of the case--Chapman's psychiatric history, previous criminal record, etc.--I don't have an opinion one way or another regarding whether Chapman should be paroled. But the venom in some of the above remarks has me wondering--do you think that Chapman should be treated more harshly than the typical murderer? If, say, Joe Thug killed a single mother of three in a violent rage the same day that Chapman killed Lennon, and both men are eligible for parole, would you treat them differently? Or is killing a Beatle somehow deserving of extra punishment? I'm curious...

On an altogether different note, I confess that I don't get the oatmeal reference. Could somebody explain?

 

What happens to Chapman is one thing. What I feel (and others may agree) is that letting a very popular murderer go who killed a Beatle in this society is a death sentence in itself.

It's just as sad, shocking and emotionally wounding when a close, friend or a mother of three gets killed by a drunk driver. Sometimes, even more so.

 

Murder is Murder period. Anyone who kills in cold blood should never get out of prison. Oh, and the "Oatmeal" thing...Since he's not getting out this time around he'll be eating his "Oatmeal" again and again and again hopefully till he rots! No Bacon, Eggs, Toast, Hash Browns this time around!....

 

In a perfect world, yes. But of course we know that if Chapman had shot some random non-famous person he would have been out of jail years ago. I suppose it's also debatable whether the actions of a psychotic mentally ill person should be treated the same as the actions of a cold-blooded, sane killer.