> Why did George Harrison's extensive security measures fail to protect him from stabbing?

Harrison had become increasingly concerned about security following the murder of fellow Beatle John Lennon in 1980; local residents had equated Harrison's estate to Fort Knox. Security had already been increased following repeated death threats, a stalking incident in 1992 and a break-in attempt in 1997, resulting in searchlights and high barbed-wire fences being implemented. Additionally, guard dogs were on the property, and visitors had to be searched before access was granted.

Abram infiltrated Harrison's estate by scaling the walls and bypassing private security. Harrison and his wife, Olivia, were awakened by the sound of glass breaking. Olivia phoned for help while Harrison descended to the main hall, where he found Abram brandishing a knife 6 to 7 inches (15–18 cm) long. Harrison attempted to disarm Abram, chanting the "Hare Krishna" mantra to distract his assailant. Harrison suffered repeated stab wounds to his upper body, one of which punctured a lung. Olivia then entered and attacked Abram with a brass poker, drawing him away from Harrison, with an injured Harrison following to help subdue him. Olivia then threw a lamp at Abram, whereupon the police arrived and took him into custody.

The security failures on December 30, 1999, included:
• Fenced perimeter bypassed: Michael Abram scaled the high perimeter fence of the 34-acre estate rather than triggering a main gate check.
• Burglar alarm failure: The alarm system that should have sounded when a downstairs window was smashed failed to alert staff or the security monitoring system.
• Unresponsive security lights: Security floodlights installed around the property did not trigger or alert personnel to Abram's movement on the grounds.
• Absence of active patrols: While guard dogs had previously patrolled the massive Oxfordshire property, they were not active in that area at the time of the break-in.
• Surprise entry: Abram threw a stone statue through a ground-floor window at 3:30 AM, waking Harrison and his wife only after he was already inside the mansion.

Harrison released a public statement shortly afterwards, stating "Adi Shankara, an Indian historical, spiritual and groovy-type person, once said, 'Life is fragile like a raindrop on a lotus leaf.' And you'd better believe it."

Harrison went to check out the commotion after hearing the sound of glass smashing. He found Abram holding a knife as well as a sword taken from a stone statue of St George and the Dragon from the musician’s garden.

Abram ran up a staircase in Harrison’s direction and when he tried to grab the knife, Abram fell on top of him and stabbed him repeatedly, puncturing his lung and narrowly missing his heart. Harrison’s thought at this time was: “I’m being murdered in my own house.”

Harrison’s wife, Olivia, managed to stop Abram by hitting him around the head with a lamp and police soon arrived and detained the intruder. It was Harrison’s son Dhani, then 22, who recalled his father’s hilarious response about the harrowing incident.

Despite almost dying four times, Harrison, who was known for his wry sense of humour, said of Abram: “He wasn’t a burglar and he certainly wasn’t auditioning for the Traveling Wilburys”.

Charged with attempted murder, Abram was found not guilty by insanity by Judge Justice Asill, though ordered indefinite confinement in a mental hospital. Harrison's son, Dhani, spoke outside of Oxford Crown Court, stating that it was "tragic that someone could suffer such a mental breakdown". Olivia was present at the court hearing, and stated: "There was blood on the walls and blood on the carpet. (...) This was the moment I realised that we were going to be murdered, and that this man was succeeding in murdering us, and there was nobody else there to help." George himself had not attended the court hearing, but provided a statement, asserting that "there was a time during this violent struggle that I truly believed I was dying". Abram had apparently offered no reaction to Harrison's vivid account.

Abram was discharged from a mental hospital in Rainhill in July 2002, and placed into a hostel. Harrison's family reacted negatively to the early release, stating that they had not been informed of Abram's release beforehand, and referring to it as "upsetting and insulting". For his part, Abram insisted that he was no longer a risk and was a normal person whilst on medication.

While Harrison survived the encounter, he died of cancer on 29 November 2001, having previously conquered a first bout of the disease; those who knew him speculated that the stabbing had triggered the cancer's recurrence.

Harrison's injuries from the Friar Park attack were more severe than was reported in the press and led to the removal of a portion of one of his lungs. Within a year, the throat cancer that he had beaten in 1998 returned in the form of lung cancer. Harrison died on 29 November 2001 at a property belonging to Paul McCartney in Beverly Hills, California, at age 58. Having seen Harrison looking so healthy beforehand, those in his social circle believed that the attack irrevocably altered his health and caused the cancer's return.

Keith Richards told Rolling Stone magazine, "I think he probably would have beaten the cancer if it wasn't for the blade [...] I mean, we know that he didn't die from [being stabbed], but I'm sure that it sort of broke down his resistance to what he had to deal with".

Harrison's Travelling Wilburys bandmate Tom Petty told Rolling Stone, "[His death is] so much easier for me than if he had died that night in the attack. I don't think I could have dealt with that. I told him so. When I put on my TV the morning he was stabbed, it looked like he had died, there were so many biographical things coming up on the TV. After that, I told him, 'I already kind of went through your death.' And I said, 'Just do me a favor and don't die that way, because I just can't handle it.' He said he promised me he wasn't going out that way".

Harrison's son Dhani said of the attack: "It definitely took years off of his life, you know. If you’re trying to fight cancer and then you’re trying to stay alive from something like that, it's gotta take it out of you."