John Lennon’s killer’s wife speaks out for forgiveness
Mark M kch Chapman’s ’ wife if reveals why she’s stood by him all these years
On December 8, 1980, former Beatle John Lennon was gunned down by Mark Chapman, a 25-year-old fan and drifter who committed the murder in a depraved bid for notoriety. Now, Chapman, 63, could soon be released from Wende Correctional Facility in New York, where he is serving a 20 years-to-life sentence, after he applied for his 10th parole hearing.
With Chapman’s hearing to start on August 20, his wife, Gloria Hiroko Chapman, 67, is still standing by him. Ever since Chapman was found guilty of the rock legend’s murder, Gloria has been by his side. The nurse makes an 8000km trip from Hawaii to see her husband every year. They are given the privilege of up to 44 hours alone, away from cameras or guards. s.
“Mark and I can talk about anything,” says Gloria. “We We prayed for Yoko Ono. I’m m a wife to Mark and I can identify fy myself with her more than anybody. body. I feel for her.
“One thing we prayed d for is that she finds Jesus Christ Ch hrist in her life and to find forgiveness or rgiveness for Mark. She seems to be b sympathetic towards him im m and I appreciate that very eryrymuchmuch. much. I hope some day I could d meet her and express that.”
Chapman hunted the e iconic Beatles singer to the Dakota akota a apartment building in Newn New York where he lived. He fired d five times at John, hitting him im four
times ti in i the th back b k as hi his h helpless l l wife Yoko Ono looked on.
When asked if Mark feels remorse for stealing John’s life from his family and his talent from the world, Gloria says, “Absolutely, yes. He feels terribly sorry but is making the best of this by using his notoriety to tell people about the Lord. The answer to every problem in life in Jesus. Everyone needs sadness, illness and loneliness.
“Mark’s eyes weren’t on Jesus, they were on himself,” she adds of his crime. “He wanted to be somebody but was a nobody. It’s really sad he chose to worship himself. He saw [the commandment] “Thou shall not murder” every day – someone had given us a plaque as a wedding gift of the Ten Commandments and he said that one commandment kept jumping out at him but he chose to disobey.”
Chapman met Gloria in March 1978. She was working as a travel agent at the time while he found work at Castle Castlemedical Medical Center in Kailua, Oahu. A year later they were married – just 18 months bf before suicidal i id lch Chapman, who suffered mental issues, committed the unthinkable and killed his idol.
Incredibly, Chapman blamed his caring wife for not doing more to prevent John’s assassination.
“It’s crazy. I laid out the gun and I laid out all five bullets – she’d never seen a gun before. And I said this is what I was going to do,” he said.
“My God, I still have deepseated resentment that she didn’t go to somebody, even the police, and say, ‘Look, my husband’s bought a gun and he says he’s going to kill John Lennon.’”
When asked how she felt to be accused of failing to stop the murder, Gloria says: “He totally convinced me that he got rid of the gun the second time.
“I was totally deceived so I don’t feel guilty. I can’t live those h kinds ki d of f regrets. I Ih have to go forward or it could make me sick. I was in total shock.”
After her husband was arrested, Gloria’s friends urged her to divorce him.
“I was in turmoil because I still loved him and I had my whole life ahead of me,” she says.
“He would say, ‘Oh, just divorce me, forget about me and get on with your life’ but... we love each other more than ever. ever.”
Does Gloria harbour any of her own regrets for standing by him?
“N“No,””sh eh insists. ii“W“We hav eh ups and downs but we hang in there. Mark knows how lucky he is that I’ve stood by him.”
Quizzed on whether her husband deserves to be forgiven, Gloria says, “He’s been given a second chance, a different way with the Lord after turning his back on Jesus.
“I hope the world can open their hearts to Jesus and forgiveness,” forgiveness, she adds. “It’s It s what keeps Mark positive and happy. He’s found peace.”
‘Mark knows how lucky he is that I’ve stood by him’