Lennon’s killer gets 20-to-life as Coe and Ovett trade world records

Thisweekin 1981, Mark Chapman was sentenced to 20-yearsto-life in prison for killing John Lennon. Two months prior, Chapman dramatically changed his plea to admit responsibility for the murder of the former Beatles singer, saying God had told him to do so.

He said voices in his head told him to kill the world-famous musician.

The judge ordered psychiatric treatment for Chapman during his incarceration and sentenced him to 20-yearsto-life, five years less than the maximum sentence of 25-years-to-life.

Last month, the copy of Lennon’s album Double Fantasy that the musician signed for his killer, just five hours before the shooting, went up for sale for a reported $1.5m.

Chapman was denied parole in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014.

The next time Chapman can be considered for possible release will be in August 2018.

In athletics, Steve Ovett regained the world mile record from Sebastian Coe when he won over the distance in Koblenz, West Germany.

His time was 3min 48.40secs.

Just a few days later, however, Coe knocked more than a second off Ovett’s record in sensational style in Brussels.

In other news, Sixties icon Marianne Faithfull was told she was to be retried on a charge of possessing heroin after a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court in London failed to reach a verdict.

Also this week in ‘81, Phil Lynott, lead singer of the rock group Thin Lizzy, was fined £200 after being found guilty of possessing cocaine.

In football news, Frank Stapleton signed for Manchester United from rivals Arsenal for £900,000 – a fee set by tribunal after the two clubs could not agree.

The Irish forward went on to help the Red Devils win the 1983 and 1985 FA Cups.

Stapleton made history in the first of those two finals, against Brighton, by becoming the first man to score for two different clubs in FA Cup finals.