John Lennon's Killer, Mark David Chapman, Denied Parole for Tenth Time

The man who shot and killed John Lennon isn't getting out of prison anytime soon ... he's just been denied parole once again.

Mark David Chapman went before a parole board in New York Thursday, and they came to the decision to keep him behind bars ... and he won't be up for parole again for 2 years.

The board explained its decision to Chapman saying ... "You admittedly carefully planned and executed the murder of a world-famous person for no reason other than to gain notoriety."

The board added ... "While no one person's life is any more valuable than another's life, the fact that you chose someone who was not only a world renown person and beloved by millions, regardless of the pain and suffering you would cause to his family, friends and so many others, you demonstrated a callous disregard for the sanctity of human life and the pain and suffering of others."

We broke the story ... Chapman got a new mug shot before his hearing. He's been serving 20 years to life after pleading guilty to 2nd degree murder of Lennon, who he shot in front of The Beatles' legend's Manhattan apartment in 1980.

Chapman later admitted to planning the killing because he wanted to be famous. He had been denied parole 9 times since December 2000 ... and now it's an even 10.