John Lennon Killer Reveals How He Shot And Killed The Beatles Icon: 'Just Fired Away, All Five Shots'
A new documentary on John Lennon's shocking murder will reveal the never-before-heard confessions of his killer, Mark David Chapman, shedding light on the moments leading up to the fatal shooting in New York in 1980.
Ahead of the 43rd anniversary of the Beatles member's death Friday, Apple TV+'s "John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial" is set to unveil chilling details about the tragic event.
The documentary delves into the eerie details of the now-68-year-old murderer's confession behind bars that he shot Lennon because he was "a phony."
Chapman was under hypnosis in preparation for his trial when he recalled sitting on the curb and seeing a black limo pull up to the building.
Chapman claimed that after seeing Yoko Ono and Lennon exit the vehicle, he heard a voice in his head saying, "Do it! Do it! Do it!"
He said he walked toward the musician and started firing.
"Took the gun out of my pocket and aimed at him and just fired away, all five shots. It felt like it was not me, but it was me," he said in the documentary, according to the New York Post.
Chapman had fixated on J.D. Salinger's character Holden Caulfield from "Catcher in the Rye," aiming to emulate him by committing a heinous act.
The documentary also features two witnesses, taxi driver Richard Peterson and Dakota Building concierge Joe Hastings, who broke their 43 years of silence to describe, second by second, how they witnessed Lennon's murder.
Peterson initially thought it was a movie scene but soon realized the horrifying reality unfolding before him.
Hastings recalled seeing Lennon run past him and saying, "I'm shot," before collapsing on the floor.
Chapman's obsession with Lennon extended to a delusional belief that the legendary musician was a "phony" and that his assassination would somehow align him with the character of Holden Caulfield.
He expressed his distorted reasoning, stating on the hypnosis tape, " You ever hear [Lennon] say that all you need is love? Here is what I say to that. All you need is love and $250 million. He was the biggest, phoniest bastard that ever lived. I wasn't about to let the world endure 10 more years of his menagerie of bulls--t."
Attorney David Suggs, co-counsel for Chapman, added another layer to the narrative, describing Chapman's delusional madness, where he claimed to hear voices and saw demons.
Chapman's defense centered on his insanity, but a surprise guilty plea, influenced by what he believed to be a message from the Holy Spirit, led to a sentence of 20 years to life in prison, where he remains today.
The three-part miniseries, produced by 72 Films and streaming on Apple TV+, aims to provide a comprehensive and definitive account of the tragic event, examining not only the known components but also the gaps and previously unheard discussions surrounding Chapman's mental state.
The documentary offers a closer look at the man behind the crime, revealing the intricate web of motivations and delusions that culminated in the untimely death of Lennon.
"John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial" will be available for streaming on Apple TV+ on Wednesday.
