John Lennon’s murderer, Mark David Chapman, told parole board “he [knows] what shame is now”

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Mark David Chapman, who murdered The Beatles’ John Lennon in 1980, was denied parole for a 10th time this past August, and now the Associated Press has shared comments he brought before the parole board at Wende Correctional Facility. Chapman, who claims he’s now “devoted to promoting the transformative power of Jesus,” said that he feels “more and more shame” every year for his actions.

“Thirty years ago I couldn’t say I felt shame and I know what shame is now,” Chapman, 63, said. “It’s where you cover your face, you don’t want to, you know, ask for anything.”

(Read: 10 Great Cover Songs of The Beatles’ White Album)

Chapman, who’s serving a 20-years-to-life sentence, expressed that he had some doubts about going through with the murder, which he committed in order to “gain notoriety.” He said that Lennon had been “incredible” when autographing an album for him just hours before the shooting. “I was too far in,” Chapman said regarding why he ended up going through with it. “I do remember having the thought of, ‘Hey, you have got the album now. Look at this, he signed it, just go home.’ But there was no way I was just going to go home.”

The board said Chapman’s release would not only “tend to mitigate the seriousness of your crime,” but also would endanger others, given that there’s no shortage of lunatics out there who would want to seek their own revenge for Lennon’s murder. He’s up for parole again in August of 2020, but he’s probably not holding his breath.

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