John Lennon’s murderer apologises to Yoko Ono: 'I think about it all the time'

Chapman was told he will have to serve at least two more years for Lennon’s 1980 murder

John Lennon’s murderer has apologised to Yoko Ono, the singer’s widow, 40 years after the “despicable act”.

Mark David Chapman shot Lennon four times outside the singer’s home in New York on 8 December 1980. Ono was present at the time of the murder.

Chapman was denied parole for the 11th time following a hearing last month. During the hearing, Chapman said he killed Lennon for “glory”.

He said: “I just want to reiterate that I’m sorry for my crime. I have no excuse. This was for self-glory. I think it’s the worst crime that there could be to do something to someone that’s innocent.”

The 65-year-old apologised to Lennon’s family, saying that he thinks about the murder “all the time”. He said: “It was an extremely selfish act. I’m sorry for the pain that I caused to her [Ono]."

Chapman, who was 25 at the time of the murder, added: “He [Lennon] was extremely famous. I didn’t kill him because of his character or the kind of man he was.” He praised the Beatles member as “an icon” and “a family man”.

Now 65 years old, Chapman said he can see that it was a “despicable act” and “pretty creepy”.

When asked if justice had been served, Chapman responded: “I deserve zero, nothing”, before adding that he should have been given the death penalty.

He said: “When you knowingly plot someone's murder and know it's wrong and you do it for yourself, that's a death penalty right there in my opinion.

“He was a human being and I knew I was going to kill him. That alone says you deserve nothing and if the law and you choose to leave me in here for the rest of my life, I have no complaint whatsoever."

Chapman also told the parole board of his past fascination with JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, the book he was found reading at the scene of the murder when the police arrived. He said he had identified with the protagonist’s “isolation” and “loneliness”.

During the hearing, Chapman described himself as a “devoted Christian”. He is now married to his wife who lives near the prison.

In its decision to deny parole, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision board applauded Chapman’s “personal growth and productive use of time” but said that ultimately, his “violent act caused devastation to not only his family and former band members, but the world”.

Chapman is next eligible for parole in two years.