KRGV.com

NEW YORK (AP) Rookie cop Eddie Byrne shot to death in New York City in 1988, targeted by drug dealers bent on revenge.

The 22-year-old old was guarding the house of a witness alone when he was shot. The brazen killing shocked a city during an epidemic of drugs and violence. Byrne's death became a flashpoint that helped usher in an era of change nationwide.

Now, the four men convicted in the killing are up for parole for the first time. One of the men convicted, Scott Cobb, testified against the drug dealer who ordered the hit. Cobb has been in federal custody for more than 20 years.

It's a longshot bid for parole, but politicians, cops and Byrne's family are trying to make sure the men stay behind bars.