Mark Chapman

Mark Chapman was obsessed with delusions of grandeur. He imagines himself to John Lennon and shot the famous musician to get rid of the "double".

In the seventies, famous and adored by all, John Lennon lived almost a hermit in one of New York buildings, the facade facing Central Park. Although he liked the freedom of manners, boisterous, carefree life of New York, he was paranoid insistence protecting your privacy and cared about their own safety. The first time he had received death threats in 1964, when the famous quartet, known worldwide as "The Beatles", performed in France. During the concert, John Lennon was handed a note informing him that he would die that night.

However, this threat, as well as several others that followed it, was not enforced. Obviously, the singer decided to simply scare.

And yet John was aware of their vulnerability and preferred to spend time in the big bed with Yoko Ono, cut off from the outside world full of dangers and of envious public.

But in the six thousand miles and four time zones away lived a man whose desire to kill John Lennon was all-consuming passion. Mark Chapman was an ardent admirer of Lennon since, as a musician began his Star Trek as part of the legendary quartet. Chapman loved the philosophy of his songs, Lennon adored as a preacher of love and peace.

But somewhere in my heart a spark of love was extinguished and the flame of envy and hatred. To better understand the causes of transformation of Mark David Chapman in the future murderer of John Lennon, you need to see some episodes of his childhood and range of interests, which he lived.

Mark was the son of David and Diane Chapman of Atlanta, the capital of one of the southern states, in October 1955. His father, a former sergeant of the Air Force, was a bank clerk, mother - a housewife - were engaged in charity. There is nothing unusual in his childhood was not. This life led millions of his peers around the world: the usual good luck and disappointment in love affairs, a couple of puffs narcotic drug marijuana, at the appropriate age - a few cans of beer.

At fourteen he ran away from home for a week, fifteen became a "follower of Christ" - with long hair, shirt, tied up with rope, with a large cross around his neck and sustained the Bible under his arm. Always impressionable, in a constant state of high tension and with an acute desire to assert himself, he rushed from one whim to another, including drugs. Dopey marijuana, he loved to dive into a ghostly dream.

"The Lord God spoke to me"

When Mark was sixteen, he finished with marijuana and stated: "In my life, an event took place much greater whole, that I had experienced before. Lord God spoke to me and made me understand that I must show the best that inherent in me ". Chapman became assistant director of a summer camp for Christian Youth Union. Tony Adams, Mark's boss, recalled: "He possessed all the qualities of a leader, was very attentive, responsive, in his lexicon was not even the word" hatred ". He admitted that in his youth used drugs, but then felt that God touched him and his whole life turned upside down. I think that years of work at a summer camp were the best years of his life. Perhaps here the last time he felt happy ".

The children were fascinated by them. He knew many fairy tales and always a long time to master their attention. But in 1974, Mark read the piece, which was destined to change his life. Someone gave him the book "The Catcher in the Rye" J. D. Salinger. This story about how receptive to beauty, dreamy teenager Holden Koulfild alone against a cruel and hostile world, deeply touched bare nerves Chapman. He compared himself with the main character and everyone who agreed to listen to him, quoting his favorite passage from the book: "I draw all those little children playing some game in this big field of rye. Thousands of kids and no adults, except for me ". The book became an anthem, a symbol for lost illusions, disillusioned young people around the world. But no one took it so close to my heart and no one has distorted its meaning as much as Mark Chapman.

Somewhere in this confusing time in his life broke into rock music. Todd Rundgren, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan became his favorites. But the Beatles were at the top of his worship, and favorite singer was still John Lennon. No, not the music he loved Lennon, he liked his philosophy, his revelation in matters of peace, love and justice. Mark even played the guitar and tried to destroy all his idol, although he realized that he was far from the genius of Lennon. And then he focused on his studies, hoping to later receive a full paid bid to the Christian Union Youth.

In 1975, a course of lectures in college, Mark Chapman on the instructions of the Union went to Beirut. But his mission is soon over, as in Lebanon, civil war broke. After Lebanon, Chapman went to Arkansas, where to relocate the camp of the Christian Youth Union to assist Vietnamese refugees. And again he has the popularity, this time among Asian immigrants, and earned the deep gratitude of the people, for whom he worked. Is changing and personal life - Mark meets a girl named Jessica Blenkenship. He adored her, but after the departure in December 1975 from Fort Chaffee his mood changed dramatically. Jessica remembered that increasingly, Mark began to talk about death, that the history of mankind - is the story of the struggle. He fell into a state of prolonged depression and constantly talked about suicide.

In search of love and kindness

Jessica persuaded Mark to continue his studies at the Faculty of Humanities. He just had to education, to pursue his dream - to lead the Christian Union of Youth. But after one semester, Chapman dropped out of college. Soon left him and Jessica. Summer of 1976 he spent in the camp, but the fall went to work security guard and was a sharp shooter. District security details and technical school in Atlanta at the test firing ranges needed to knock at least sixty points a gun. Chapman kicked the eighty-eight.

It would seem that all is going well. But unexpectedly to himself, Mark was quickly put on weight. Native look irritated him, and every day he grew more embittered. In 1977, after his parents' divorce Chapman flew to Honolulu, Hawaii.

One day, rented a car, he went to the picturesque place, with a beautiful panorama of the Pacific Ocean, fastened one end of the hose to the exhaust pipe of a car, and another brought in Salon. He was saved by a passerby knocked on the window. Chapman was in a gassy salon fifteen minutes and then everyone wondered why died. He understood that, after inspecting the outside of the hose: hot exhaust gas burned a hole in it. Chapman became angry that his plan failed suicide. But after this incident he contacted the clinic, where he was advised to undergo a long course of treatment for mental health. To be near him, flew to Hawaii to his mother, but she was unable to alleviate the state of mind of Mark. He was distressed by the fact that the recording of documents of a suicide attempt will never get a decent job in the Christian Union Youth.

In 1978, accumulating a little money, he went round the world trip on a route Tokyo - Seoul - Singapore - Kathmandu - Delhi - Tel Aviv - Paris - London. After returning to Honolulu, he worked in hospital. Need to see the next closest person becomes so acute that he decided to formalize their relationship with Gloria Abe, an American of Japanese descent. They were married in June 1979, eighteen months before the assassination of John Lennon. But because of the erratic behavior soon make their marriage gave serious crack: he spent hundreds of dollars to purchase expensive works of art that could hardly afford.

It was at this time next killer began to talk about the "betrayal" by John Lennon. Gloria listened to his bombastic monologues in which he accused the singer for his wealth and attitudes to life, for peace, for love. Oct. 23 at his workplace, he attached a piece of paper with the inscription "John Lennon", and four days later, bought a short-barreled pistol. A few days later, Mark Chapman was already in New York. Then visited his hometown of Atlanta, where he told the local priest that his mind is constantly a struggle between good and evil, but to report any details of refused. He visited and Jessica.

Later she would say that Mark looked very dejected. Chapman returned to New York even more depressed, as a visit to the Christian Youth Association, where he spent several happy seasons showed that there is definitively forgotten. Chapman was the hang out near the house where Lennon lived, trying to get lost in the crowd of onlookers and passers-by who wanted to at least fleetingly, even once to look at their idol.

After the arrest of Mark, one man exclaimed: "Yes, I also saw him on the day of the murder, I live near here and remember that I saw this guy a few days earlier. It is always full of people who wait, John. But this fellow was prominent among them. He scurried back and forth, as if burned with impatience ".

Chapman stayed in the Youth Christian Association of New York. December 7, Sunday, he noted there and moved to an expensive hotel. The following day he again walked to the house with Lennon's fourteen-tape songs of the Beatles in their hands and with the new album Lennon and Yoko armpit. If it were a pistol and a constant companion of his life - the book "The Catcher in the Rye".

In the crowd of fans, Mark talked with a young blonde. Together they had a bite in the restaurant and after dinner they were joined by Paul Goresh, amateur photographer, is also an ardent admirer of the musician. A few minutes later, at exactly 16.30, on the street went Lennon, followed by Yoko. He went to the limousine, and this time the crowd went Chapman and handed him the album. "Autograph please," - he asked a voice broken by emotion. John stopped for a moment, and this time Goresh photographed him.

"I just shot John Lennon"

John Lennon returned home at 11.30 pm. Mark Chapman was waiting for him hiding in the shadows. "Mr. Lennon!" - He called. John turned to see who called to him, and then, torn by the most contradictory feelings, Chapman issued a musician five bullets. Yoko Ono sat down on his knees and clasping his hands of her husband's head, as if rocked him, and the doorman shouted Chapman: "Do you know that done?" - "I just shot John Lennon," calmly replied Mark. He was arrested there and then, near the house, and Lennon immediately sent to the hospital named after Roosevelt. He was in a semiconscious state, but still alive, although it lost too much blood.

"It was impossible to save any means - say a few hours later, Dr. Stephen Lynn, the head of Magen David Adom". - He has lost too much blood, about eighty percent of the total. Yoko had already reported his death. News spread across the night New York with lightning speed. About an hour near the house where John Lennon lived, gathered thousands of people. They stood with lit candles in memory of him. The crowd sang songs of Lennon and telegraphs transmitted in all the newspapers of the world the details of this terrible murder.

President Jimmy Carter spoke about the irony, that "Lennon was a victim of violence, although he has always fought for peace, but a new U.S. president Ronald Reagan called the assassination" a great tragedy ". The world was plunged into mourning. Chapman was charged with murder and ordered a psychiatric examination to pass a thirty.

Under heavy guard Chapman was placed in a separate chamber located a hospital, where he did not take his eyes off the twenty-four hours a day, to keep him from suicide. But because it was feared that Chapman can kill Lennon fans of revenge, he was transferred to the city prison. Second, counsel - first refused to work as day to day growing resentment of people, and with it the threat of reprisals against the murderer - said in court the accused will be acquitted because the doctors recognized its insane.

When in August 1981 the case was heard in court, attorney Jonathan Marks spoke out against the allegations that Mark lookout for Lennon, as it crept up to him, and after the murder did not feel remorse. He described him as a man with a deep mental health issues, stressing: "All the reports contain the same conclusion: Mark David Chapman - a madman. This was not a deliberate crime. It was committed in a state of madness ". But the Chapman pleaded guilty to murder. Nevertheless, clearly say that he is a man with a healthy psyche, can not. When in court he was given the opportunity to say a few words, he just quoted a passage from the book "The Catcher in the Rye", which became his gospel.

In a TV studio in New York brought together psychiatrists, to try to explain to America why Lennon was killed. The most convincing version of the motive for the crime put forward Hawaiian psychiatrist Robert Marwa. He said: "Mark began to sign the name Lennon. It is safe to say that he believed that Lennon had turned to him or. At a critical moment Chapman could say to himself: "Lord, Lennon knows that the two of us. I must reduce them to one ". But if we consider the phenomenon of Mark David Chapman in the complex, I'm not sure we ever know what really control it, resulting in the movement of this diabolical mechanism.

Possessed by demons

Many years passed before the mad assassin Lennon first started talking about demons, which led him to murder, how he had to beg God for forgiveness for this terrible crime. In 1991, Mark Chapman agreed to be interviewed about the events that led to his fatal shot. He claimed that he had heard ominous whispers: "Do this Do this Do this!" He said he trained for three days in a hotel room before Lennon's ambush at the entrance to his New York apartment. During his stay in prison, Chapman has received more death threats than any other prisoner in America.

Fans of the Beatles have not forgiven him to murder the singer of peace and freedom by John Lennon. Even my father could not forgive him and never visited in prison. However, Chapman hoped in time to beg forgiveness from God and humans. He said: "I felt completely shattered. I was infuriated by the realization that I'll fake Lennon. I was looking at his photos. Put the same yourself in my place. Here he stands on the roof of a luxury building. So young and beautiful! He urged us to develop the imagination, do not be greedy. And I believed him! All the walls of my room were plastered with photographs of the Beatles. I believed what they were doing all this not for money. In ten years I have infused righteousness of John Lennon, I took him with all my heart ... But suddenly I discovered in my head "little men". I spoke with them every day, asking them what to do. And that they are "little men" convinced me to kill a famous musician John Lennon. They were scared. They were shocked. They were part of my conscience, and when I did not act honestly, in me nothing was left that would have ruled me. I was alone. And then I tore off his clothes, set recording "The Beatles" and prayed to Satan. I screamed and screamed into the tape recorder: "John Lennon must die!" John Lennon liar! "

Mad monologue accompanied by a sinister melody, which he recorded on tape over the song "Wild Strawberries". Chapman said that his hesitation between God and Satan continued in 1980, two months, and then he went into a store for weapons and Ku-rapid-fire pistol drinking. With this weapon he intended to kill John Lennon. He admitted that several days was obsessed with the thought of killing. "I prayed and after a long struggle, with God's help, won. I called his wife Gloria and said: "Your love has saved me. I scored a big victory. Soon I'll be home ". But the demons have returned, and in December I went to New York ".

Chapman waited three days and December 8, went to the house where Lennon lived with the singer's new album. "Lennon treated me very cordially, - continued Chapman. - I handed him the album, but he pulled out a black pencil, raspisyvayas, scratched them on the cover. He tried to withdraw the first letter of his name, then scratched a couple of times and laughed. Then he wrote: "John Lennon" and below - "1980". He handed me the album, he asked: "And that's all that you want?" His wife waited in the car. The door was opened. And I said: "Thank you, John". Now I think about his words that he said then: "And that's all you want?" I think he sensed his own death ".

"Do it!"

"I was full of happiness from the fact that John Lennon signed my album. So happy that I wanted to take the first-encountered a taxi and dashed off home to his wife. I wanted to get out. But did not do. I could not leave this place as it was completely subordinated to the other force ". He returned here in the evening to complete his mad search. "Do this Do this Do this! - Firm demons. And I did it. Did as many times rehearsed in a hotel room.

As Lennon walked past, I took aim at his back and pulled the trigger five times. I remember it as if someone had pushed forward on the steps, and then he began to slowly fall jerks. Doorman Jose, I remember very well, pulled a gun from my hands and shouted: "Look what you've done!" Get out! " And I said: "Where should I go?"

. When police arrived, Chapman read his favorite and perversely interpreted by the book "The Catcher in the Rye"
. The closing date for Mark David Chapman - Year 2000. Recently he Zago-voril because he felt remorse. He said that he was haunted by nightmares. In them, he visits the house Lennon. "I talked to Yoko and his sons as a family friend. We were all saddened occurred. They understand that I am very sorry about this. They know that in fact I did not want to kill him. John Lennon was a seeker of truth. He knew that better world will not, but urged to think about it. If a person has the power to create this world in the imagination, so he approached him. A good idea should not cause pain. Sorry that I caused pain to everyone. But now, perhaps I'll make him useful. Still very, very difficult to determine who I am really. I often felt strong feelings of confusion and pain of what I Mark David Chapman "