The Nation - News from May 17, 1989

To applause from 150 police officers, New York state Supreme Court Justice Thomas A. Demakos sentenced drug dealer Philip Copeland, 23, to 25 years to life in prison--the maximum--for murdering a rookie New York City policeman who was guarding the home of a drug witness. Copeland and two other men were convicted March 29 in the shooting death of Officer Edward Byrne in February, 1988. “There is no doubt that, of the three, Copeland was the worst,” said Demakos, charging that Copeland arranged the murder after getting an order to “ice a cop” in a jailhouse telephone call from alleged drug kingpin Howard (Pappy) Mason.