As Episode 1 of "John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial" (2023 release; 3 episodes ranging from 36 to 41 min) opens, it is December 8, 1980, and the news is spreading that John Lennon has been shot. We then go back in time to the late 1970s, when Lennon had retreated from the public eye, focusing all of his attention to Yoko and their son Sean. But Lennon finds a new spark in 1980 and is ready for the next chapter in his life. On December 8, 1980, he sits down in his Dakota condo for an interview with a reporter from RKO... At this point we are 10 minutes into the 1st episode.
Couple of comments: this documentary is a curious affair on many levels. To be clear: it does not intend or pretend to shed any insight on John Lennon the musician. This simply reassesses what led to the murder of Lennon, and the fallout from it. Episode 1 "The Last Day" offers no new insights. Episode 2 "The Investigation" focuses on how the NYPD handled the murder case, and we get to hear from some of the people that were on the scene , including the concierge, the porter, a taxi driver, the first responders, etc. Episode 3 "The Trial" focuses on how Mark Chapman and his legal team prepared for the trial, and the aftermath. It is incomprehensible to me how the title of this mini-series refers to "murder without a trial" when in fact there was a trial (even if it was just a short one) and the 3rd episode is called "The Trial". That aside, the overall sense of this documentary is ones of questionable quality. The discussion of various conspiracy theories (none proven, of course) that somehow the US government may have been involved reeks of shameless sensationalism.
"John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial" recently started streaming on Apple TV. As a lifelong Beatles fan, curiosity got the better of me. I shouldn't have bothered. This documentary is currently rated a mere 50% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and for good reason. Of course don't take my word for it, so if you are a fan of the Beatles or of John Lennon, please check it out (I might suggest with lowered expectations), and draw your own conclusion.
