A cop killer has been granted early release, prompting the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) to call for reform.
Lee Ernest Walker fatally shot New York Police Officer Juan Andino on June 15, 1984. Andino had stopped Walker to question him about the theft of a pair of Cazal sunglasses, valued at approximately $140. The glasses were very popular among rappers at the time, according to the New York Post.
According to state Department of Corrections records, Walker, 67, served only 40 years at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining for first-degree murder.
Andino’s brother has expressed profound grief in statements to The New York Post.
“It just hits you in the gut,” said Felix Andino, 77. “I believe in capital punishment. He was a thug. If you take a life, your life should end. I don’t believe this guy should be living anymore. That’s how I feel.”
The 16-member state parole board changed the rules governing how they assess a prisoner’s release, allowing an inmate’s age and prison record to weigh more heavily than the severity of the original offenses.
Since 2017, Walker has become the 43rd cop killer to be paroled.
The PBA is advocating for changes within the parole board.
“Those who display blatant bias must be immediately replaced with new, fair-minded members who care about police officers and crime victims,” PBA President Patrick Hendry stated.
Eleven of the 16 board members are serving expired terms.
“Many of these board members are holdovers whose terms expired years ago. It’s time to clean house.”
Andino’s family continues to feel the loss and pain they experienced 40 years ago due to Walker’s early release.
“That was a very, very bad time for the whole family,” recalled Angel Andino, who lives in Florida.
“She just started crying and crying and crying and did not stop,” he remembered. “I mean, she cried for 40 years.”
[Feature Photo: Officer Juan Andino/National Police Association]
