John Lennon’s Murderer to Walk Free?

A bombshell proposal out of New York is stirring outrage—and fear—as some of the state’s most notorious killers, including Mark David Chapman, could soon have a real shot at walking free.

Chapman, now 70, is the man who gunned down John Lennon outside his Manhattan apartment in 1980—a crime that shocked the world and forever scarred music history. For decades, he’s remained behind bars. But that could change.

State lawmakers are now weighing two controversial parole bills that critics say could open the prison gates for aging violent offenders—including serial killer David Berkowitz.

Under the proposed “Elder Parole Bill,” inmates 55 and older could apply for release after serving just 15 years—no matter how brutal their crimes were. A second measure, dubbed the “Fair and Timely Parole Bill,” would go even further, pushing parole boards to approve releases unless the inmate is considered an active danger today.

That combination has sparked serious alarm.

“Some of the most notorious criminals in the system could be out within two years,” one law enforcement source warned.

Chapman, who first became eligible for parole back in 2000, has already been denied 14 times. But under the new rules, he—and others like him—could get more frequent hearings and potentially a much easier path to freedom.

Not everyone is staying quiet about it.

Yoko Ono has long fought to keep Chapman behind bars, repeatedly urging officials not to release the man who took her husband’s life. Victims’ families say these new proposals could force them to relive their trauma over and over again.

“This is like letting monsters back into society,” one grieving brother said, recalling the brutal murder of his sibling. “They will have blood on their hands.”

Police groups are also blasting the idea. Union leaders say no amount of time—or good behavior—should erase crimes like murder, especially when it comes to cop killers or high-profile cases.

But supporters of the bills argue something very different.

They say older inmates who have spent decades behind bars—and who’ve shown genuine rehabilitation—pose little risk. Keeping them locked up, they argue, costs taxpayers a fortune with little benefit to public safety.

Still, critics aren’t buying it.

They warn that age doesn’t guarantee safety—and that some criminals never truly change.

With both bills gaining traction in Albany, the pressure is now on Kathy Hochul, who would ultimately decide whether these controversial measures become law.

For now, the possibility remains chillingly real: the man who killed a legend—and others once thought never to walk free again—could one day step back onto the streets.