John Lennon's 'lack of security led to him getting murdered', says musician's ex-PA

Founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of The Beatles, John Lennon, wasmurdered on December 8, 1980, outside his New York City home, whichhe shared with his wife Yoko Ono.His assassination sent shockwaves across the music industry and his fans mourned his death for months. Nearly 42 years after the music legend's demise, his former personal assistant has blamed the "lack of security" for his death.

Dan Richter, who worked as Lennon's PA from 1969 to 1973, recently spoke to the Daily Telegraph and stated that the music legend should never have been allowed to use the front door of his New York City apartment. The 83-year-old actor and mime artist said, on Wednesday, that "thedoor was a danger point".

"You can identify and avoid that. And there was a side door he could have used," Richter added.

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He also recalled the time he feared for Lennon's life as he was about to meetBob Dylan at the Plaza Hotel in New York. To ensure that everything was in place, Richter hadgotten out of the car.Seeing a man speeding his vehicle and driving towards them, he got terrified. But, the man turned out to be a hotel security guard.

"I thought I was going to die. Turned out he was hotel security coming to see if we needed help! Then I realised Bob was standing there all the time, totally unnoticed, in camouflage fatigues, laughing,"Richter shared.

Dan also told how he never thought Yoko would be a target for assassination despite the fact "people really did hate her" after she was blamed by fans for breaking up The Beatles.

Meanwhile, Paul McCartney said earlier this month that he couldn't bear to talk about Lennon's death after the singer was assassinated.Opening up about his devastation over Lennon's death in an interview for 'The Beatles Channel' on SirusXM, McCartney said, "When John died it was so difficult. It had hit me so much so, that I couldn't really talk about it. I remember getting home from the studio on the day that we'd heard the news he died."

"Turning the TV on and seeing people say, 'well, John Lennon was this', and 'What he was, was this', and 'I remember meeting him' and it was like, 'I don't know, I can't be one of those people'. I can't just go on TV and say what John meant to me. It was just too deep. It's just too much. I couldn't put it into words."

Lennon was shot in the back five times outside his Dakota apartment building by Beatles fanatic Mark David Chapman, now 67, hours after the singer spoke to him and signed one of his records.

The killer, infamously carrying a copy of J.D. Salinger's 'The Catcher in the Rye' novel with his pistol, stayed at the scene of the murder until he was arrested by police, and is still languishing in prison after 12 of his parole bids were denied.

(With inputs from agencies)

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