8/24/1981: Mark David Chapman was given a 20 year jail sentence for the murder of John Lennon. The 25 year old had shot Lennon five times at close range on December 8th, 1980 in front of The Dakota apartment building in New York City. Chapman, 63, failed in his tenth try to win freedom from a prison sentence that could keep him behind bars for the rest of his life, New York prison authorities said on Thursday. A state board denied parole after a hearing and told him he would have to wait another two years until it considers him for release again.