Yoko Ono is among those opposing the release of Mark Chapman, the man who shot John Lennon, whose third parole hearing takes place next week. Ono maintains that Chapman remains a threat to the safety of her and Lennon's sons, Sean and Julian. In a letter to the parole board she says that Chapman's release would "bring back the nightmare, the chaos and the confusion once again". Nearly 2000 fans have already signed an online petition against Chapman's release, and insiders now reckon that if he is freed police will need to provide considerable protection from some of Lennon's fans who have made threats to his life (imagine all the people living life in peace and all that).
A spokeswoman for the State of New York Division of Parole this weekend confirmed that Chapman is among a number of prisoners scheduled for parole hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. He last went before a parole board in 2002 - they noted that Chapman has a "very positive" behavioural record - but stressed that progress in such a controlled and structured environment "cannot predict your community behaviour" if released.
That said, Chapman was denied parole on the grounds that it would diminish the seriousness of his crime.