NY Parole Board pushes cop killer's parole hearing back until after primary

New York Post

17-05-2025

The state's far-left Parole Board has quietly delayed a decision on releasing one of New York City's most notorious cop killers until after the June 24 primary — prompting critics to speculate the move was done to help former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's NYC mayoral bid.
The 16-member board — 11 of whom were appointed or re-appointed by Cuomo — was scheduled last month to review whether David McClary, a gangbanger who ruthlessly assassinated Police Officer Edward Byrne in 1988, should be released.
Byrne was a 22-year-old rookie, sitting in his patrol car in Queens, when he was shot five times in the head.
4 NYPD cop Edward Byrne was shot dead in 1988 while sitting in his patrol car.
Now, the board won't hear McClary's bid for freedom until July, sources told The Post.
If the board ultimately releases McClary, 59, he'll be the 44th New York cop killer set free the past eight years, The Post exclusively reported last month.
Republican mayoral candidate and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa said he has 'no doubt' Cuomo pulled strings to delay the hearing to avoid the negative publicity of McClary's potential release heading into a Democratic mayoral primary the ex-governor is favored to win.
4 The state parole board has delayed its decision on whether to release David McClary until after the Democratic mayoral primary.
'This makes sense since he still controls a majority of the [parole] board,' he said. 'It behooves him to push this off as far as he can because it's his Achilles heel.'
'He does not want this to be brought up. Every time it is, it's like a dagger to his political heart because he's now trying to run as a law-and-order candidate.'
4 Ex-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo appointed or reappointed 11 of the 16 current state parole board members.
Stephen Yang
4 Curtis Sliwa claims the parole board delayed its consideration of the McClary case to help Cuomo in the mayoral primary.
Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post
Most New Yorkers are unaware how many cop killers Cuomo's handpicked board members have released, Sliwa said, adding 'many are stunned' to hear the number when he tells them while campaigning for his own mayoral run.
Councilman Robert Holden, a Queens Democrat who typically sides with Republicans, said 'the fact that Cuomo's parole board is delaying a vote on a cop killer until after the June primaries reeks of political gamesmanship.'
'It's a disgraceful insult to the memory of our fallen heroes and a reminder that Andrew Cuomo always puts his ambitions ahead of public safety,' he said.
The New York Parole Board did not return messages.
Referring to Sliwa, Cuomo spokesman Jason Elan said 'we don't comment on conspiracy theories, even ones peddled by a bereted clown.'