1981 – Mark David Chapman pled guilty to killing John Lennon

At an initial hearing, in January 1981, Chapman's new lawyer, Jonathan Marks, entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.  In February, Chapman sent a handwritten statement to The New York Times, urging everyone to read The Catcher in the Rye, calling it an "extraordinary book that holds many answers."  The defense team sought to establish witnesses as to Chapman's mental state at the time of the killing.  It was reported that his defense team was confident he would be found not guilty by reason of insanity, in which case he would have been committed to a state mental hospital and received treatment.  However, in June, Chapman told Marks he wanted to drop the insanity defense and plead guilty. Marks objected with "serious questions" over Chapman's sanity, and legally challenged his competence to make this decision, requesting a further assessment of his mental state.  In the pursuant hearing on June 22, Chapman said God had told him to plead guilty and that he would not change his plea or ever appeal, regardless of his sentence.  Marks told the court that he opposed Chapman's change of plea, but that Chapman would not listen to him.  Judge Dennis Edwards refused a further assessment, said Chapman had made the decision of his own free will, and declared him competent to plead guilty.