The Fan Who Shot John Lennon With His Killer

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] December ninth nineteen eighty thousand gather in stunned silence outside the exclusive Dakota apartments in New York City the music world mourns a legend John Lennon is dead [Music] the night before the former Beatle had been gunned down as he returned to his apartment at the Dakota Mark David Chapman a 25 year old drifter was arrested at the scene and charged with second-degree murder Chapman would later say that he was a longtime fan of John Lennon the next afternoon the front page of the New York Daily News carried this haunting image of John Lennon signing an autograph the adoring recipient was his killer Mark David Chapman the now famous picture was taken by Paul goresh a 20 year old amateur photographer from Newark New Jersey like Chapman gorsh was obsessed with John Lennon [Music] to his fans John could be kind in November 1980 the fan later to take the last picture of John alive is granted his first photo opportunity so he says well let's take it now let's get it the hell over what you never know if we'll get another chance to do it and this was 21 days before he gets murdered so I mean I was like a kid you know under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning and when I stood next to him John put his right arm around my shoulder and I couldn't believe that he pulled me to him and when he did that it gave me the idea and I held on to his fur collar because I was holding it almost to make sure it wasn't a dream [Music] you [Music] it was February 12 1979 Paul gorsh was a part-time driver for an electronics shop at noon he and a friend arrived at the Dakota posing his TV repairmen Paul carried a copy of John Lennon's first book and a bogus service order to get him in the door J&J electronics we're here to see Jay Jay Lennon did he expect that you it's right here I went up to the doorman you know I showed him the service order I was acting like that you know because I had wrote Jaylin and not Jonalyn and I wanted that plate I was totally oblivious to who we were going and the appointment of you know he didn't even blink it it it was perfect to him it was Paul gorgeous lucky day by coincidence John Lennon was having problems with his VCR Lennon's secretary assumed that Lennon had made the service call himself stop acting so nervous incredibly the two imposters were allowed to proceed upstairs I hear him Timmy's in the apartment so I said to Mary I said he's in there I can hear him I said we're gonna knock on the door I said she's gonna open the door and John Lennon's in the Beast sitting at that table the Adrenaline's really flowing now for me and I'm really excited and I'm expecting the secretary and my chin must have just dropped Jay in jail electronic service is here because I was in although I'm just staring it I'm I'm amazed that he opened the door all right come on in it was really funny because I honestly think he detected that something was funny and it must have been from my reaction maybe because I was so excited when I saw him maybe he had seen that look before you know of a fan Paul scheme to get an autograph soon backfired the Lennon household had recently been the target of crank calls and threats Lennon believed his Secretariat called the repairmen and became angry because he'd not been consulted beforehand I mean the secretary suggested that Paul return in a few days when Lenin had calmed down come back another time sure sure so I was like a little upset I was I wasn't proud that I got to at least see him and deal with him but I was like a little disgusted at the way it turned out and especially they didn't get my autograph four days later Paul scheduled another appointment with Lennon's secretary she had no idea that Lenin no longer had a problem with his VCR he simply purchased a new one unaware Paul and another friend arrived at the Dakota they found Lenin in his first floor office this time Paul gorsh brought a camera he was real friendly and cordial and he said I want to apologize to you guys for my behavior the last he said but I wasn't mad at you guys he said I was mad at my secretary and I almost wanted to tell him at that point well you know it wasn't her fault either because I'm just a fan but I still wanted to get my book signing actually last time I was here I brought a copy of your book with me and I have it with me now I was wondering if maybe you'd autograph it he says I don't give autographs hardly anymore he says but I figure I owe you that much and then each spots an Instamatic camera that I had in the box oh just one no I'm sorry no photographs I'll tell you what I'll do I'll make a deal with you I'll autograph your book if you don't take any photographs all right have you got a pen [Applause] okay here's your book here's your pen here's your camera here's your box arrivederci Roma and I felt bad because like I knew that was probably I thought was gonna be the last time I saw him but I knew I couldn't be a jerk you know I mean he was real nice to me and I had gotten what I really wanted to get right however the autograph merely served to whet Paul's appetite and he soon returned to the Dakota look I let you in my apartment I signed your book I don't want you to take my photo leave me alone so I figured well if he's not gonna stop and let me get a picture I could probably get a telephoto lens stand across the street from him follow him take a few pictures of him he'll never be any the wiser and he doesn't get upset I have my pictures and everybody will be happy what are you doing I said no pictures and you're taking pictures again it's just one picture when it's one picture gonna look just give me the film I'm not gonna give you the film it's just one picture in the film Hey I said what are you so worked up for he said you said to me you were a fan he said if you're a fan give me the film I said I am a fan I said and I only want the pictures because I am a fan he says well if you're a fan and leave me alone fine process it and if you like them but send me a copy okay right [Music] I said no pictures and I was just disgusted at you know now he's mad again and then I guess I waited probably a month or two and I went back John what do you want this time I don't have my camera no my camera hat they said John I just want to talk to you you know I never meant to cause you any grief I said I really really feel bad you had gotten angry I said and if you tell me to leave you alone I said right now I said I will never come back here again I would never come back and he I remember him looking right in my eyes and he said stop looking at me as a beetle and you gotta treat me just like you would treat anyone else and he said come on and we walked and we went for a walk [Music] Paul gorsh began to live out the fantasy of every Beatles fan from time to time during the month that followed Lennon would let Paul tag along when he ran errands and took walks in the neighborhood no we had done for walks on several occasions and sometimes they wouldn't be long at all I mean I don't want to be misleading sometime they'd be five ten minutes but they were an eternity for a fan and I remember we were walking one day and I said to him if it's not gonna hurt our relationship with it however little it is if I could get a picture and he laughed and he said yeah he says when we're ready to go public he said I'll have my guy call you and you can take all the pictures you want he says cuz I think I'm getting ready six months later John Lennon hired a professional photographer to promote his return to the music world after a five-year hiatus remarkably Lennon kept his promise to Paul goresh he invited Paul to bring his camera and attend the session and John turns and he spots me and he says Paul you made it and he says you know I'm glad well now you can take your picture man it was funny because like in the sequence of photos that I took he's looking at me said of the guy that they were actually paying Paul was astonished when this picture was chosen to grace the jacket cover of Lennon's hit single watching the wheels when that record came out I was so proud of it because there's only five names on the record you know there's John's name Yoko's name the producer of the record the owner of the record company and my name from that moment on Paul gorsh was John Lennon's official unofficial photographer he became a fixture at the Dakota documenting Lennon's comings and goings with dozens of informal snapshots [Music] [Music] John's fan the amateur photographer Paul goresh arrives as usual I got to the Dakota around 11:45 in the morning and when I got there it was it was a nice mild day it was for December 8th the only other person there was a guy standing with a long overcoat with a fur collar and a fur hat and he had a scarf on and he was holding double fantasy under his elbow and he says to me are you waiting for Lennon and I said yeah and he said my name is Mark I'm from Hawaii and I said I'm Paul I'm from New Jersey and he said oh he said you work for him I said no he said I came all the way from Hawaii to get my album signed so I said where are you staying while you're in the city and with that he seemed to change his whole demeanor from like a dope to an aggressive person and he said why do you want to know and and I told him go back where you were standing and leave me alone meanwhile Paul goresh goes inside hoping to pick up the copy of John's 1965 book a Spaniard in the works that he's left for John to sign John was coming into the hall he said I'll sign it for you today I promise so I went back outside at my post and when I went back outside the guy with the overcoat was there and he was alone again on the other side of the archway and he came over to me and he said you know I want to apologize to you he said I owe you an apology for the way I acted he said but you're in New York you never know who you can trust these days [Music] so we ended this interview said our goodbyes all took photos I had my photo taken with with John and Yoko which I treasure more than anything wrapped up the gear and then headed on down to to get to our car - we were going right to the airport it's full p.m. and still hanging around at the entrance fan and amateur photographer Paul goresh sees the RKO team coming out of the building with their recording equipment now a little bustle of people starts from another start notice in a lot of silver cases and whatnot so I figured Jan I'll be coming out soon next thing John comes walking out looking for a car that was going to take he and Yoko over to the record plant so he turned the hose day and he said Jose where's my car and he said it's I was there was the night doorman who had come on his name is Jose Perdomo and he said it's not here yet mr. Luna he's looking around and I thought it was for a split second I'm thinking of myself this is pretty amazing I mean here's John Lennon outside of New York I thought of that quickly and I said I just dismissed it in this town it's no big deal and that was it he said to me don't forget to get your book he said did you get your album sign I said I'll get it I get my album signed tomorrow I'll get the book before I leave and as he was talking to me the guy with the overcoat approached him from the left and he didn't say a word he just held the album out in front of John and John turned to him and looked at the album and said do you want it signed the guy nodded he didn't say a word he just nodded so it looked like a picture so I snapped a couple pictures and the first picture I took was John signing the album looking at the album and he nodded and he took the album and he just backed away so John is saying well our car isn't here you're going to the airport yeah would you mind giving us a ride hop on in we're headed in the same direction so as he was giving him the limousine I took a picture of getting into the limousine and that turned out to be the last picture of my life he got limousine and he was facing me and as it was pulling away John looked out the window and waved to me and smiled and I waved goodbye to him and I would never see him again [Music] late this evening one of the world's great entertainers and musicians John Lennon of the Beatles were shot outside his New York home so we begin tonight by bringing you up to date on that story John Lennon was shot three times at around 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time he was rushed to New York's Roosevelt Hospital but died a few minutes later police have a suspect in custody whom they describe only as a local screwball I was shocked and then I'm saying to myself who did this and then all of a sudden they said we're getting some information saying that the man that killed him may have come all the way from Hawaii and when they said that I immediately realized who it was and and you can't imagine the disgust and anger then then it it struck me that I might have a picture of him getting that album son so I called the New York City police he said I think I got a picture there killer with him at five o'clock and they hung up on me so I called the Daily News he said to me you you think you have what and he said Paul are you sure that this is the man that you believe killed him and I said well that's the man named Mark from Hawaii who was waiting out there all day with the album who got the autograph and he said are you sure I said yeah he said you realize we're gonna put this picture on the cover of our newspaper and if we're not wrong right you know these big problems I said no no I said I don't know if that's the killer I'm that's the man you're asking me about that was outside there all day so he said all right so what they did is they had a connection with the police station and they had a reporter there that was trying to see what the guy looked like to see if it matched the photo but they kept him under a coat they put him under his overcoat and stuff you know but what happened was time was running out the editor said we got to get this on the cover the paper and he said you got to find something for me look at his shoes look at anything see if you can find is he wearing glasses and the guy said they have him under an overcoat I can't see the gun and then the guy said wait a minute I see a scarf hanging below to coat and the editor said go to press because he was wearing the scarf in the picture it's just mind-boggling it's it's so senseless in it and it's a waste but but it achieved what what that piece of garbage wanted to achieve was make a name for himself you know but by doing that he linked his self with John forever and unfortunately you know that's the way history is eight days after John's death Paul goresh receives a package from the Dakota it contains the book he'd left for John to sign the book and he wrote loved John Lennon 1980 and it was the only time he ever wrote love on something for me John had signed it 3:30 on December 8th this picture of John Lennon and Mark Chapman is the only important picture Paul korish ever took ironically it may be the one photograph Paul korish would like to forget for him the dream was over it seems like a dream now it definitely seems they could dream now especially 10 years later that's why I thank God for the pictures and and I'm very thankful for all the memories [Music] he owed me nothing but here's a man that's so special and he's bothering to care a little bit about me and I always remember that and it'll always be special because he was said Daisy [Music]

Channel: Beatlemaniacs Anonymous

Views: 3,818

Rating: 4.7538462 out of 5

Keywords: John Lennon, Paul Goresh, only photo of John Lennon with his killer, murder of John Lennon

Id: eB0LcLNgdP0

Length: 23min 55sec (1435 seconds)

Published: Sat Jun 01 2019