On this day, Aug. 24, in 1981, Mark David Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for murdering John Lennon.
Chapman had several obsessions, including Lennon and “The Catcher in the Rye.” On Dec. 8., 1980, Chapman shot Lennon five times outside the legendary Beatle’s New York apartment, then remained at the scene reading “The Catcher in the Rye” until the police arrived.
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In his statement to police, Chapman said, “I’m sure the large part of me is Holden Caulfield, who is the main person in the book. The small part of me must be the Devil.”
He later penned a letter to the New York Times, urging everyone to read the book, saying it was full of answers.
During his sentencing, when the judge asked Chapman if he had anything to say, he stood and read a passage from the book.
Chapman, 54, remains at Attica prison in upstate New York. He will next be up for parole in August 2010.
