Mark David Chapman

ALBANY - Imagine: The man who killed John Lennon has been enjoying conjugal visits with his wife for at least 16 years.

Mark David Chapman has been locked up in the Attica Correctional Facility since gunning down the legendary former Beatle on Dec. 8, 1980.

Since at least 1992, Chapman, who this week is up for parole for a fifth time, has been a part of the prison's "family reunion" program, the Daily News has learned.

Under the program, Chapman gets to spend 44 hours straight with his wife in a special modular "private homelike setting," said Correctional Services Department spokesman Erik Kriss.

There are no cameras or guards inside the individual units, but they are surrounded by a fence, in addition to the Attica complex walls, Kriss said.

Gloria Hiroko Chapman, who was married to Chapman at the time he killed Lennon and still lives in Hawaii, visits once a year on average, sometimes more often, a source told The News.

She could not be reached for comment.

The goal of the program, Kriss said, is to "preserve and strengthen family ties that have been disrupted as a result of incarceration."

It is designed to "foster positive and responsible conduct" and "facilitate postrelease reintegration into the family and community, thereby reducing the likelihood of recidivism."

When he's not canoodling with his wife, Chapman, who has a legal research certificate, assists inmates in one of Attica's law libraries. Chapman also works as a porter, cleaning up offices.

Because of his notoriety, he is housed in a special unit apart from the general population. Despite some early minor prison violations, Chapman's record has been clean since 1994.

Regardless, Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, wants Chapman kept behind bars. Ono has notified the state Parole Board that her position has not changed in opposing Chapman's release, her lawyer Peter Shukat told The News.

Chapman has been denied parole four times since he first became eligible in 2000.

Ono submitted an emotional letter in 2000 detailing fears for the safety of herself, Lennon's two sons and even Chapman if he is released.

Rather than write another letter, Ono, a source said, sent word that her position has not changed from the earlier statement.

In that letter, Ono wrote that if Chapman is released, "I am afraid it will bring back the nightmare, the chaos and confusion once again. Myself and John's two sons would not feel safe for the rest of our lives."

She added, "With his one act of violence in those few seconds, the subject managed to change my whole life, devastate his sons, and bring deep sorrow and fear to the world. It was, indeed, the power of destruction at work."

All told, the Parole Board has received 50 letters and a 1,100-signature petition against Chapman's release and just three letters calling for his freedom.