John Lennon and Yoko Ono meet the parents of A6 Murderer James Hanratty

John Lennon and Yoko Ono met the parents of James Hanratty, the so-called A6 Murderer, on 10 December 1969.

The meeting took place at the couple’s office at Apple, London.

Hanratty had been convicted and hanged for the murder of scientist Michael Gregsten. Gregsten had been shot dead in a car on the A6 road near Clophill, Bedfordshire, England, in August 1961. His partner, Valerie Storie, had been raped and shot five times, and left paralysed.

For years Hanratty’s family had fought against his conviction, arguing that the evidence against him was insufficient. In 1997 a police inquiry ruled that he was wrongfully convicted. However, in 2002 the Court of Appeal ruled that DNA evidence conclusively proved his guilt beyond doubt.

Lennon and Ono were among many supporters of Hanratty’s innocence. Their meeting with Hanratty’s parents was also attended by campaigner Edith Whicher.

Following the meeting, it was announced that Lennon and Ono would make a film about the A6 murder. Lennon was quoted as saying: “I believe in ‘Thou shalt not hill,’ I believe in turning the other cheek.”