Sunday, December 9, 2007

TRIBUTE TO JOHN LENNON


Former Beatle JOHN LENNON continues to be mourned in Strawberry Fields, a memorial garden area in Central Park, across the street from the Dakota building where Lennon and Yoko Ono lived. Shortly after his death, Yoko Ono donated $1 million for its maintenance. Strawberry Fields has become a gathering place for tributes on Lennon's birthday and on the anniversary of his death. Captured above is the scene on the night of December 8. Young and old alike, fans and admirers of Lennon gathered around the IMAGINE mosaic which is filled with flowers, photos, candles, and offerings.
On December 8, 1980, John Lennon was shot four times in the back by Mark Chapman who had asked the former Beatle for his autograph only hours before he laid in wait and killed him.
Chapman pleaded guilty to gunning down Mr Lennon and is currently serving life in Attica prison near New York. In October 2004 he failed for the third time to secure his release.
He said he had heard voices in his head telling him to kill the world-famous musician. Twenty years after his death millions of fans paid tribute to Mr Lennon in his home town of Liverpool and in New York.
His widow launched a campaign against gun violence in the United States to mark the anniversary.

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