Mark Chapman admitted he was hell bent on killing a celebrity when he gunned down the ex-Beatle outside his New York apartment block 30 years ago.

Elizabeth, Carson were also on Lennon killer's hit list
Friday, September 17, 2010, 12:41 [IST]


London (ANI): Despite other famous people like U.S. TV talk show host Johnny Carson and the actress Elizabeth Taylor on his hit-list, Mark David Chapman killed John Lennon because he was more accessible. Mark Chapman admitted he was hell bent on killing a celebrity when he gunned down the ex-Beatle outside his New York apartment block 30 years ago.

“I had a hit list of people and he was at the top of the list,” the Daily Mail quoted him as telling the parole hearing. “If it wasn’t Lennon it would have been someone else,” he added. The cold-blooded killer inisisted he had forgotten earlier claims that he also had another ex-Beatle, Paul McCartney and former First Lady Jackie Onassis in his sights.

Asked how he selected the names, he said: “They are famous – that was it. It wasn’t about them necessarily. It was just about me.” He said he killed Lennon because ‘he seemed more accessible'. “I found out what building he was at and went to that building. It wasn't quite as cloistered as some of the other people might have been.”

Chapman, 55 and in his 30th year in jail, made it clear that he was feeling suicidal - but used that rage to instead kill someone other than himself. Instead of taking my own life, I took somebody else's,” he admits, calling it 'unfortunate'. “I thought there was a chance might get shot. I wasn't really too concerned about that,” he added.

Chapman is next viable to request parole in 2012.