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Schumer: Deny Cop Killers Parole For Murder Of NYPD Officer In 1988

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - Sen. Charles Schumer has spoken out, demanding four convicted cop killers to not be granted parole.

Officer Edward Byrne was killed back in 1988 while he was sitting in his patrol car protecting a local citizen's house who feared retribution local drug gangs

The four men involved in the killing were all sentenced to 25 years to life in prison and all are up for parole in November.

Sen. Schumer was joined by Officer Byrne's brother and NYPD officers at a news conference Monday morning.

Larry Byrne pleaded for his brother's killers to remain behind bars for the rest of their lives.

The 1988 slaying of Officer Edward Byrne drew the attention of then-President George H.W. Bush.

Byrne was shot five times as he sat alone in a parked patrol car in Queens. The 22-year-old officer was guarding a house that had been firebombed after the resident complained about neighborhood drug dealers.

The killing spurred local and national anti-crime initiatives.

About 10,000 uniformed police officers from around the country attended Byrne's funeral.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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