Family Divided, Police Anger Continues About Cop Killer's Parole

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- For Manny Jones, memories of the day his brother New York police officer Waverly Jones was killed are still palpable.

"My life was shattered when they killed my brother," he said.

In 1971, Herman Bell and two others lured Officer Jones and his partner to a building in Harlem where they assassinated them.

Bell is serving a sentence of 25 years to life, but after nearly 45 years in prison and being denied parole seven times, he has been approved for parole and leave prison on April 17.

"To see how this guy's getting out and to know that my brother isn't coming home... Why should he walk streets anymore?" said Jones. "I've never heard a cop killer is supposed to walk the streets." 

It's a move Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch calls a travesty, reports CBS2's Jessica Moore.

"Today we're here for one of the most important obligations we have as citizens of this city, to keep cop killers behind bars," said Lynch.

Lynch is calling for members of the parole board to be fired, saying they never contacted the officer's family for a victim impact statement.

"If these commissioners won't do their jobs, we have to do ours and ask them to leave," he said.

Supporters of Bell, including the murdered officer's own son, say the killer has served his time and now deserves to be set free.

"The fact is Mr. Bell has taken responsibility for his actions, expressed sincere remorse, is 70 years old and has been in prison for 45 years - in this time of increased hate, we need more compassion and forgiveness," said Robert Boyle, Bell's attorney, reading a statement on behalf of Waverly Jones Jr.

Manny Jones says he'll keep fighting to keep his brother's killer in prison.

"He needs to stay in jail," he said. "Don't come home until my brother comes home."