WEBVTT 00:00:04.557 --> 00:00:07.017 On December 8 1980, I was assigned 00:00:07.017 --> 00:00:11.337 to the 20ths precinct. I was a patrolman in a radio car 00:00:11.337 --> 00:00:16.416 And I got a call that there was shots fired at 1 W. 00:00:16.416 --> 00:00:17.177 72nd street. There was a man pointing 00:00:17.177 --> 00:00:23.019 and he said "That's the man doing the shooting." 00:00:23.019 --> 00:00:25.497 And at that point we realized that this was for real. 00:00:25.497 --> 00:00:30.391 So I peeked in and saw a man with his hands up. 00:00:30.391 --> 00:00:34.577 So I threw this guy up against a wall and at that point 00:00:34.577 --> 00:00:39.972 Jose says to me he shot John Lennon. And I said "You what?" 00:00:39.972 --> 00:00:44.390 (shot) 00:00:44.390 --> 00:00:49.806 This is a work of art by John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. 00:00:49.806 --> 00:00:53.473 I was thinking about all these windows in the world 00:00:53.473 --> 00:00:58.297 And there's so many windows that have bullet marks 00:00:58.297 --> 00:00:59.641 and bullet holes. 00:00:59.641 --> 00:01:04.555 So I wanted to make a symbolic gesture of one bullet hole 00:01:04.555 --> 00:01:07.724 And also you have to see it from the front. You have 00:01:07.724 --> 00:01:09.576 to see it from the back. 00:01:09.576 --> 00:01:12.256 When you see it from the front you're the shooter. 00:01:12.256 --> 00:01:15.417 When you see it from the back, you're the victim. 00:01:15.417 --> 00:01:21.258 And I did it and then I saw it. And I said " Oh my God! I saw that!" 00:01:21.258 --> 00:01:22.917 "That night" 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:32.807 At 10:50 p.m. on Monday December the 8th, 1980, John Lennon was murdered 00:01:32.807 --> 00:01:36.596 At the Dakota Building in New York 00:01:37.223 --> 00:01:39.891 "Late this evening, one of the world's great entertainers 00:01:39.891 --> 00:01:41.576 and musicians, John Lennon of the Beatles. 00:01:41.576 --> 00:01:44.307 Was shot outside his New York home." 00:01:44.307 --> 00:01:45.356 The shockwaves of John Lennon's murder were felt 00:01:47.891 --> 00:01:49.973 around the world. 00:01:49.973 --> 00:01:55.189 Switched on the radio and 'Imagine' was playing. It was like a knife through your heart. 00:01:55.640 --> 00:02:00.274 You knew it was true. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It was a shattering blow. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Stunned. I just couldn't... I just saw him. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Total shock. Absolute shock. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Imagine all the people" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I could not believe it. I mean I was shocked and then I was 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 saying to myself, "Who did this?" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And why anyone would hurt John? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And then it struck me that I might have a picture of the kiler. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 On January 1969, eleven years before John died, the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Beatles held their last ever concert. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 On the roof of their office building on Saddle Row. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It was the end of an era. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John Lennon profoundly influenced a generation. And beyond. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What do you know happened here? What do I know happened? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The record label was run from here I suppose. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I don't know much what happened here. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yeah. one last gig 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Dont let me down." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I see this house and I was in that queue. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It was his voice, man. It makes me sad 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It makes me angry. It makes chilled. You know? It was 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 his voice really. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Nobody ever loved me like she do." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I thought, :right? I want to be in a band like that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 why can't I make music like that 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "One two three four" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John's whole life after he walked away from the Beatles 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 was an escape from the insanity of Beatle-mania 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In 1971, he found his refuge with Yoko in New York 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the city in which he was, nine years later, to meet his fate 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (singing) New york city baby 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yeah the last time I saw John we were in Madison 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Square Garden. He said, "I can walk down the street, walk through the park. People pass me- 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 'Hi John' and keep on walking". He said "I love it." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I thought to myself, John's found peace at last. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Singing: all we saying is give peace a chance. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Peace had come at a price. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John's political activism had a real effect on young people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And the President himself saw Lennon as a threat. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Nixon was determined to deny John his green card 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There's a piece of tape somewhere of Nixon's 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 henchmen saying "You know this guy could sway an election." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This was preserved. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And the first step was to kick him out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And they were very eager to do that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (Singing I would like..) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's August 1980, with his struggle for permanent residence long behind him, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John is about to embark on a new musical venture 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with Yoko. They're snapped leaving the Dakota, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 on the first day of recording their album "Double Fantasy" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They can have no idea it will be their last. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Their coproducer is Jack Douglas. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The idea of this album was a play, a dialogue between a man and his wife. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A man who had been through the sixties. It was about 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Well here we are. We're turning 40. And everythings ok. We can still do this. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We can still have our voice. We managed to make it through 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 all those terrible years. And now let's look to the future." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (singing) Even after all these years. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 By September 1980, the album "Double Fantasy" is nearing completion. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He listened to it very intently. And I saw this smile come on his face. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And he yelled out, "Mother! Tell them we have a record!" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Mother was John's nickname for his wife. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He made me laugh all the time. I wasn't trying to make 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 him laugh. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But it seemed like he was laughing all the time about me. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Just the fact that I'm saying something serious. And he said, "You're so tiny and you're saying these things." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And you know, that made him feel funny I suppose. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 To his fans, John could be kind. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In November 1980, the fan later to take the last picture of John alive, is granted his first photo opportunity. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So he says, "Well let's take it now." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Let's get it the hell over with. You never know 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 if we'll get another chance to do it." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And this was 21 days before he gets murdered. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, I mean, I was like a kid under the Christmas tree 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 on Christmas morning. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And when I stood next to him, John put his right arm 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 around my shoulder. And I couldn't believe 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that he pulled me to him. And when he did that. He 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 gave me the idea and I held on to his fur collar. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Cause I was holding it almost to make sure 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it wasn't a dream. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Like, he wasn't going to disappear on me. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The most iconic image of John Lennon in 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 New York was taken by his friend, photographer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Bob Gruen. Friday December the 5th, three days before he dies. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John phones him 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He was in a good mood, very playful. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The next day he asked me to come back, cause he 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 had gotten a new jacket. He wanted some pictures of the new jacker, a very fancy Yamamoto jacket. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and so we stayed up all night talking while they were working in the studio. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And it wasn't until dawn that we were actually out on the street 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I think it was Saturday morning, December 6th 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and we took a bunch of pictures there and um 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and that was the last time I saw him. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Later that Saturday, December 6th John gives a radio 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 interview to BBC DJ Andy Peebles at the Hit Factory recording studio in Manhattan. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There was my hero. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I remember he put his arm around my shoulder and said "Thank you for coming." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I felt like saying, "What do you mean, thank you for coming?" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (Recording) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When I left England I still couldn't go on the street. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It was still Carnaby Street and all that stuff was going on. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We couldn't walk around the block, go to a restaurant, unless 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you wanted to do the business of the star going to the restaurant garbage. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I can go right out this door now and go in a restaurant. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You want to know how great that is? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And towards the end of the interview, for some perverse reason 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it just flashed through my mind- ask him about security. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And he came out with the classic quote, you know, "i can walk down the street 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and people say 'hi John, how are you, how's the baby?'" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I can see him now saying it with such conviction. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He could never ever have dreamt 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what would ensue in 48 hours. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Never ever have dreamt. Pfft. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's Monday the eighth of December, 1980. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 At 10:00 a.m. John leaves the Dakota building for his favorite 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 local barber. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He just wanted a haircut. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I dunno maybe I have those hairs still. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I used to keep his hair. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Well the day started with the Liebowitz photograph. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As the photographer Annie Liebowitz completes the photo shoot 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for Rolling Stone magazine and the cover that was 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to become world famous. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John's fan, the amateur photographer Paul Garesh, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 arrives as usual. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I got to the Dakota around 11:45 in the morning 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and when I got there, it was a nice mild day for December 8th. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The only other person there was a guy standing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with a long overcoat with a fur collar. And a fur hat. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And he had a scarf on and he was holding "Double Fantasy" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 under his elbow 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And he says to me "Are you waiting for Lennon?" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I said, "Yeah" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And he said, "My name's Mark. I'm from Hawaii." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I said, "I'm Paul. I'm from New Jersey." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And he said "Oh. Do you work for him?" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I said "No" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He said "I came all the way from Hawaii to get my album signed." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 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. NOTE Paragraph 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And he said, "Why do you want to know?" And I said "go back where you were standing and leave me alone." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We were doing a sort of interview with RKO radio you know. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 12:40 p.m. the RKO radio team from San Francisco with radio host Dave Sholan arrived with expectation for the interview that lies ahead. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We drive up to the Dakota which is a very impressive building. I mean it takes your breath away. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and then we're ushered into this incredible space. This beautiful room where you take your shoes off which is a wonderful custom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And sit down on the couch and Yoko was there. And I look up to the ceiling and notice these clouds that are painted on Lovely. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Meanwhile Paul Goresh goes inside hoping to pick up a copy of John's 1965 book A Spaniard in the woods, which he's left for John to sign. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John was coming in from walk He said I will sign it for you today I promise. So I went back outside at my post. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When I went back outside, the guy with the overcoat was there and he was alone on the other side of the yard. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He came over to me and said "You know what, I want to apologize to you. I owe you an apology for the way I acted. You're in New York and you never know who you can trust these days." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Monday December the 8th 1980, it's 1:25 p.m. John Lennon begins a 2 and a half hour interview with radio journalist Dave Sholan 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's the last interview he will ever give. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The door opens and John appears. Does this little jump in the air and proceeds to say "here I am folks. the show is ready to begin." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He spreads his arms out and comes right over. He could not have been more upbeat. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In the interview John ranges over his whole life story from his Liverpool years to his relationship with Yoko and their son Sean. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He was born on Oct. 9th which I was. So we are almost like twins. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So now I have more reason to stay healthy and bright. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Around 1978-9, around then, he said "I feel very lonely. Because there's not a man that I can talk to. About being a house husband. They must have some kind of group session or something for those men. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I said " well. I suppose there should be. But we couldn't find one." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and one day I saw John sitting in bed and crying and I said "what happened?" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and he was reading a book called The First Sex and its a book about how women don't get credit at all for what they did in history. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and he said I didn't know that we would do this to women. He has a very soft heart you know. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong, that John came from a background that was very macho. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Very macho. Oh I was surprised. But you know, I think that was normal in those days for guys. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 This is the Liverpool pub where John used to meet his art school friends. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 One of these was Thelma Pickles. She was 16 and John 17. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Well of a romance I suppose it was in a way. A youthful romance. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John lived here in a house known as Mendips with his aunt Mimi who brought him up in the absence of his mother Julia. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He got up to the kinds of things young people get up to He had a very pristine bedroom. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He once asked me if I knew that making love expended the same amount of energy as going for a 5 mile run.Which I didn't know and I don't know to this day is true but I believed him. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And then it became a euphemism. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 One evening there was a party at the art school where they were both students. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He said "Come on. Let's go for a five mile run. So we went upstairs to the Art history classroom. When we got inside there were at least three other couples. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I said "I'm not staying here and he absolutely whacked me one. I didn't speak to him after that. I didn't care who he was, how funny he was, how interesteing he was. I was not going to be hit by a lad." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John's relationships with women were often controversial. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 By 1970 he had become one of the most famous people in the world. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 His early marriage with Cynthia with whom he had a son Julian, was over. But Yoko proved unpopular. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The reason for the Beatles splitting up, with precious little evidence ascribed to her. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The hostility directed toward Yoko didn't dimish when they moved to New York. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I felt terrible about me but then I was feeling guilty about him. He was really getting it as well. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Because his records were not selling too well either. And it was all because he was with me in a way. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Because we were together almost 26 hours a day. And I think it was very unusual for John to be like that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And for any rocker, they kind of sneak out. There was none of that. Because he was worried that I might do it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He was laughing about it. Because you know, I'm an artist. He was afraid I might be sort of free about things. You know. Unlike other women. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I probably was. But i wasn't free about that sort of thing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In fact it was John's misbehavior with a woman at a party which in 1973 made Yoko realize they needed time apart. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I call it my lost weekend. It lasted 18 months. When the feminine side of me died slightly. And she said "get the hell out". 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Give me 30 seconds to just be in this space. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Elliott Mintz was a Los Angeles based reporter who had become a friend of John and Yokol 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Yoko thought it would be best for John to go off on his own and for the two of them to part as a seperation. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 She suggested he leave New York and go to Los Angeles. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That choice was partially based upon the fact that I was here and that somehow I might be able to look after him. Talk about a burden. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 In the first couple of weeks he did what people do in this city if you're a bachelor and by former profession you happen to be a Beatle. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He liked the action. For a short time he liked the parties. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He liked the nightclubs. He liked the drinking. He didn't mind the attention of the ladies. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I can tell you this. A week, two or three, into the experience the only thing he wanted was to figure out a way of getting back with Yoko. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I would say to Yoko, look he keeps saying to me "tell mother" he referred to Yoko as mother, "tell mother that I'm ready to come home." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I would say that to Yoko and Yoko would say No he isn't. I will let you know when he is. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 After 18 months apart, John and Yoko reignited their relationship. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That's when in l975 their son Sean was born. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John was a changed man. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and he wraps up his historic interview with Dave Sholin on December the 8th by saying he is entering a new phase in his life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Because I always considered my work one piece whether it was with the Beatles, Elton John, David Bowie, Yoko Ono and I consider that my work won't be finished until I'm dead and buried. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I hope that's a long, long time. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So we ended this interview, said our goodbyes, all took photos. I had my photo taken with John and Yoko which I treasure more than anything. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We wrapped up the gear adn then headed on down to our car. We were going right to the airport. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's 4 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. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Now a little bustle of people start coming out and noticing a lot of silver cases so I figured John will be coming out soon. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The next thing, John comings walking out looking for a car that was going to take he and Yoko over to the record plant 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So he turned to Jose and said "Jose, where's my car?" and he said it's not here yet Mr. Lennon. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Im looking around and I'm thinking, This is pretty amazing. Here's John Lennon outside in New York. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I thought of that and dismissed it quickly. In this town, it's no big deal and that was it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He said to me "dont forget your book. Did you get your album signed?" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I said "I'll get the album signed tomorrow. I'll get the book before I leave." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and as he was talking to me, the man with the overcoat approached from the left. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He didn't say a word he just held the album out in front of John. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and John turned to him and looked at the album and said "do you want it signed?" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and the guy nodded. He didn't say a word. Just nodded. It looked like a picture. So I snapped a couple of pictures. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the first picture I took was John signing the album and looking at the album. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He nodded, looked at the album and just backed away. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So John was saying, "well our car isn't here. You're going to the airport? Yeah. Would you mind giving us a ride?" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Hop on in, we're heading the same direction. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, as he was getting in the limousine, I took a picture. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And, that turned out to be the lst picture of him alive. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He got in the limousine and he was facing me. and as he was pulling away, John turned and wave to me. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I waved back and smiled at him. And I would never see him again. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's now 5:05 pm, on Monday December the 8th. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 John Lenon is given a lift to his recording studio by his intervier. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He causually asks about his relationship with Paul McCartney 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He says," Well, he's like a brother. I love him. We certainly have our ups and downs and quarrels. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But at the end of the day when it's all said and done, we would do anything for each other. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, that was grea to hear. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We dropped John and Yoko off at the studio and said our goodbyes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 While John and Yoko were busy at the studio, a few blocks away at central park 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a young ABC newsman was in a motorbike accident. It is to make him a key figure in the nights events. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The cops came, the ambulance came. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I remember riding in the ambulance an the doctor was saying Your lucky. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's a monday night, it's quiet. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There is another doctor at the E.R, your gonna love her. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 She's friendly, and she'll fix you up 1,2,3. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Back at the studio, John and Yoko put the finishing touches on the final record they will ever record. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's title is The Sound Significance. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The last thing we did was record Walking On Thin Ice. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's still hard for me to think about it, because it a song that just came to me. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When you hear the song, it's about us. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You know, and how we will be remembered and will remember. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 How we will turn to ashes. Why was I singing that? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Really weird? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And, John loved that song and he said Yoko this is your first number one. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you just got your first number one. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We finished the mix that night, and I walked him down to the elevator. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Um, and I said to him " well I'll see you in the sterling house, the master house, at 9am. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And he was all smiles cause of the song, and Yoko was smiling. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the elevator doors closed. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The last music that John ever records is the guitar work of that track. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And then when we were in the car, I said shall we then go to a resturant before we go home than? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And he said "I want to see Sean before he goes to sleep." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I was thinking that he's probably asleep by now, but okay let him see him. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, But you know even if we went to the resturant, it wouldn't have changed anything. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It didn't make us avoid anything. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Horrible 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And, the car stopped and we got out of the car. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It was really, it was really terrible. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I was a patrolman in a radio car, and I got a call that there were shots fired at 1 West and 72nd street. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There was a man pointing into the vestibule and he said that the man that is doing to shotting. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and at that point we realized that this was for real. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So I peeked in and saw a man with his hands up. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, I threw this man against a wall, and at that point Jose says to me " That's the man that shot John Lenon." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I took a turn around to see what was going on behind me. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I saw two of my fellow police officers carrying out a body out. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Face up, blood coming out of his moulth. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 At that point, I looked and I recognized John Lennon. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Two police cars, one with John and one with Yoko, rushed to the hospital. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Emergency room Doctor. Lynn is on stand by. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I actually got here before the patient, I didn't know exactly what had happened. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Everyone there was ready. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Through the doors, two police officers walked in. We didn't have locks back then, but we do today. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And these police officers were carrying this body over their shoulders. It was lifeless. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It was a very busy night, other people came in, swaggering in with very minor problems. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There was a waiting room full of people. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And there was a gentleman about an hour before Lennon cam in, with a motorcycle accident 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And it turned out he was a reporter. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The Doctor comes in, and I am filthy with everything. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And she says, I'll take you into x-ray. See what the damage is. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I said okay. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And at that moment, the door behind me slams open, and a man walks in saying we have a gunshot in the chest. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The doctor says whernis it coming in, he says that it's hitting the door right now. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 She says I'm sorry, Allen, I've got to take care of this. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 No problem, I understand. And at this point I can hear footsteps as the door opens agaid. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And in walks a stretcher. Five six policeman walk in carrying a stretcher. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We positioned that body on a stretcher in front of us. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It was clear that there were three gun shot wounds in the right upper chest area. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And one under the left arm 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It was also clear that there was no breathing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We immediatly didnt know that it was john lennon. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 As part of our routine we took his identification out of his pocket. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It said John Lennon but the nurses said that this doesn't look like John Lennon. I can't be.