BARRY LEVINE: No parole in sight for John Lennon’s killer

When the Dodgers were located in Brooklyn and lost the World Series six times during the 1940s and 1950s to their hated cross-town rival New York Yankees, their faithful always would say, “Wait ’til next year. … Wait ’til next year.”

For Mark David Chapman, convicted murderer of ex-Beatle John Lennon, he keeps hearing. “Wait for two years. … Wait for two years.”

Chapman, who was found guilty of Lennon’s slaying on Dec. 8, 1980, in front of The Dakota building in New York, received a 20-years-to-life sentence.

Earlier this year, Chapman was denied parole for the eighth time. He now must wait two more years before going before the New York Parole Board. He remains in the Wende Correctional Facility in upper New York State. He is kept in protective custody against his will and works as an office clerk.

In a transcript of his most-recent hearing before a three-member parole board, the 59-year-old Chapman presented himself as remorseful. His transcript, however, revealed he bragged about the plan he had to kill Lennon.

The Texas native said it was not a spur-of-the-moment plan to shoot Lennon. He said he staked out The Dakota for months before shooting Lennon. Chapman had previously revealed that he had a list of people he had mulled killing including Walter Cronkite, Johnny Carson, Marlon Brando and Jackie Kennedy Onassis, but that Lennon would be the easiest.

Chapman repeatedly said during the review that he was sorry for killing Lennon and referred to himself as “an idiot” for doing it.

He said that he has found Jesus in prison and found comfort by spreading the word of Christ to other inmates. He also told the Parole Board that he had learned how to fix wheelchairs while in prison.

According to published reports, he has a clean prison record since 1994.

Yoko Ono, Lennon’s widow, was present when Chapman committed the slaying.

The couple had left The Dakota about 5 p.m. for a recording session at Record Plant Studios in New York and returned about 10:50 p.m. Lennon and Ono departed their limousine, passed Chapman and walked toward the archway entrance of The Dakota. From the street behind them, Chapman fired five shots, four of which hit Lennon in the back and left shoulder.

Ono, who will celebrate her 82nd birthday in February, has steadfastly opposed Chapman’s release. She has said that it would leave her and the couple’s two sons fearful of him. She even stated that she was concerned that Chapman would be attacked by fans of the late singer.

As she had before Chapman’s seven previous Parole Board hearings, Ono sent a letter to the board fighting his release.

The nation was informed of Lennon’s slaying by announcer Howard Cosell during a Monday night National Football League game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and host Miami Dolphins.

Said a stunned Cosell, “An unspeakable tragedy has been confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City. John Lennon, outside of his apartment building (The Dakota) on the West Side of New York City, was shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital where he was dead on arrival. Lennon was perhaps the most famous of all The Beatles.”

This month in rock ‘n’ roll history: Marty Robbins became the first major artist to cover an Elvis Presley tune when he recorded “That’s All Right.” in 1954. Robbins’ effort reached the Top Ten. He had three other Top 5 hits – “A White Sport Coat” in 1957, “El Paso” in 1959 and “Don’t Worry” in 1963. … After topping the charts for 15 consecutive weeks in 1956, Elvis Presley was bounced from the top spot by Guy Mitchell’s “Singing the Blues.”

The Diamonds version of “The Stroll” peaked at No. 4 in 1957 and started a dance craze. Jerry Lee Lewis, 22, secretly married Myra Gale Brown, his 13-year-old second cousin. This was The Killer’s third of his seven marriages. …The Coasters recorded “Charlie Brown” in 1958. The song reached No. 2 the following year. … Singer Bobby Darin married actress Sandra Dee in 1960. The couple remained together until 1967.

The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” topped the chart for the first of a four-week run in 1961. … Motown Records achieved their first No. 1 hit when The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman” reaches the top…. Gene Chandler’s “Duke of Earl” was released in December 1961 and by the following February was No. 1 in the nation. … At a juncture when the airwaves and charts were dominated by rock songs in 1966, the New Vaudeville Band had the No. 1 hit with “Winchester Cathedral.”

Barry Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached