ANDRIA HALL, CNN ANCHOR: This next story is one where you can't believe how much time has gone by. It has been two decades since John Lennon died. John Lennon fans around the world are marking the 20th anniversary of his death. Hundreds of people are expected to gather in New York's Central Park in an area called Strawberry Fields. Some fans are angry because New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has refused requests to suspend the park's 1:00 a.m. curfew. Now, we take a look back on the shooting of John Lennon in our "CNN 20" report.</s>SANDI FREEMAN, FREEMAN REPORT: It's been a day of grief and mourning for those whose life was ever touch by the magical music of the legendary Beatles. John Lennon's death shocked everyone.</s>SCOTT LEON, CNN SR. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: The Beatles are -- were cultural icons. They are to this day. And the thought that they would never be able to get together, not to mention losing one of the most brilliant musicians and composers of our century, was absolutely mind boggling to us. And to this day, a lot of people find it hard to imagine that he's gone.</s>FREEMAN: Today, New York police arraigned an ex-rock musician named Mark David Chapman, and charged him with Lennon's murder.</s>LEON: Right off the bat, they knew who Mark David Chapman was. He didn't make any attempt to flee the scene. He put the gun down and the cops were there within moments, and we were able to ascertain who he was. I believe he made statements at that time, incoherent statements, in retrospect, as to why he had done what he had done, which made it even all the more shocking. Chapman finally came up for parole and was promptly denied parole. When you have somebody with the stature of John Lennon, it would seem inconceivable that the parole board would let him off.
CNN 20: John Lennon is Killed, December 8, 1980