In the pre-dawn hours of February 26, 1988, a young, white New York City Police Officer named Edward Byrne was brutally executed while on duty in South Jamaica, Queens. At just 22 years old, Byrne was a rookie officer, having been with the department for only seven months. He was assigned to a solitary post, sitting in his marked patrol car to protect the home of a witness who had repeatedly reported illegal drug activity to the police and had become the target of threats and firebombings.
The attack was a calculated assassination. As Byrne sat in his vehicle, another car pulled up alongside him. One man got out and knocked on the passenger side window, creating a diversion. Simultaneously, another man approached the driver's side and fired five shots from a. 38 caliber pistol into Byrne's head. Two other men acted as lookouts during the cold-blooded killing. The murder was not a random act of violence; it was an ordered hit, a message from a jailed drug lord intended to intimidate witnesses and law enforcement.
The brazen murder of a police officer sent shockwaves through the city and the nation, sparking outrage and a demand for justice. The New York City Police Department launched an intensive investigation, and within a week, all four men directly involved in the shooting were apprehended. The suspects were identified as Philip Copeland, Todd Scott, Scott Cobb, and David McClary. Their arrests led investigators to the mastermind behind the plot, a notorious drug kingpin named Howard 'Pappy' Mason, who had ordered the execution from his jail cell.
The four assailants were tried and convicted of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Each was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. In a separate trial, David McClary was identified as the shooter and also received a sentence of 25 years to life. Howard 'Pappy' Mason was later convicted in federal court for ordering the murder and was sentenced to life in prison. Over the years, the convicted men have become eligible for parole. In 2023, Scott Cobb, who served as the getaway driver, was granted parole and released from prison. The other convicted individuals have had parole hearings, with some being denied and others awaiting future consideration.
