BBC - Great Crimes and Trials Series 3 Set 1 (1995) Part 1 Mark Chapman and the Killing of John Lennon

Stabbings, shootings, genocide, torture, abduction, robbery, serial killing and mass suicide are just a few of the horrific crimes explored in Great Crimes and Trials. True stories carefully researched and reconstructed with actual archive footage. Cases which have become almost legendary in the annals of crime and detection. Serial killers, gangsters, assassins and war criminals - Great Crimes and Trials sheds light on crimes that shocked the world, bringing back memories of some of the most notorious cases of the twentieth century. The murders of John Lennon and presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, the unsolved Zodiac murders and the treasonous crimes of Lord Haw-Haw are all covered here in exacting detail, alongside other shocking stories of murder and mayhem. From the violent mob rule of the thirties to the fairly recent phenomenon of the serial killer, the motives, behavior patterns and killing techniques of some of the world's most evil felons are explored. Their detection, capture and trials are examined to give a complete picture of how crine and justice have evolved through the twentieth century. Narrated by Robert Powell, Great Crimes and Trials combines new and archive interviews to reconstruct each story, analysing the individual and his motive, explaining how the crime was committed and showing breakthroughs in investigations alongside details of the trial. With its researchers gaining unprecedented access to picture libraries and over 250,000 hours of archive footage, these are the definitive accounts of these appalling murders.

Part 1 Mark Chapman and the Killing of John Lennon

One man's obsessive adoration of the world's greatest rock star led to a transposition of personality and the death of John Lennon. On the evening of December 8, 1980, John Lennon left his residence with his wife, Yoko Ono, for a recording session. As they walked towards his limousine, a young man called Mark David Chapman approached them, asking Lennon to autograph one of his records. Lennon obliged before leaving. Six hours later, as Lennon and Ono returned to their apartment, that same man stepped out behind them, aimed his .38 revolver at Lennon and fired five times, fatally wounding the former Beatle. What led Chapman to kill one of the most famous musicians in the world? Abundant film footage and photographs document the lives of John Lennon and The Beatles, and Mark Chapman, Lennon's troubled assassin. Lennon is seen enjoying rags-to-riches success followed by a spiritual quest to cope with the considerable and genuine pressures of stardom. Chapman, in contrast, is shown living a life plagued by emotional crises and personal disappointments. Identifying with a literary figure who hated phonies, and fixating on Lennon as a man who preached spirituality while enjoying a millionaire's lifestyle, Chapman ultimately vented his rage on the pop icon. This is a powerful expose of Lennon's inner life and the tortured man who gunned down a legend.

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