Stabbing of George Harrison

Stabbing of George Harrison
Entrance and gatehouse of Friar Park; the Harrison family's estate and where the attack occurred
Date30 December 1999 (1999-12-30)
Timec.3.30AM GMT
LocationFriar Park
MotiveDelusions of divinity and belief that Harrison was the Antichrist
PerpetratorMichael Abram
Non-fatal injuries3 (George wounded severely; Abram and Olivia lightly)
VerdictNot guilty by reason of insanity; sentenced to life in a mental asylum

The stabbing of George Harrison, a musician and a former member of the Beatles, occurred on 30 December 1999.

Michael Abram, a 34-year old paranoid schizophrenic from Liverpool, England, stabbed Harrison forty times. Despite sustaining severe injuries, Harrison survived the attack. He died in November 2001 from cancer, which was diagnosed after the attack, having previously recovered from a first bout of cancer. Those who knew him speculated that the stabbing was a cause of the cancer's return, with Keith Richards speculating "I think he probably would have beaten the cancer if it wasn't for the blade".